Lyre Lyre
by BrightShiningAsTheSun
Summary: (Set one year after Apocalypse) The guys adopt a new student into their little group and Kurt honestly doesn't know what's come over him.
1. Chapter 1

It was raining the first time he saw her. Not an all-out downpour but enough for most of the kids to take shelter inside or scurry under the trees with the widest canopies. The sun was still shining, typical March weather, lighting up the raindrops so that they fell like melted gold.

Kurt pulled the neck of his red bomber jacket closer, lowering his chin and hunching his shoulders as a breeze suddenly picked up. Raindrops scattered Jean's homework and she huffed and tutted to herself as she purposefully dabbed them away.

"Can't we just go inside?" She muttered to no one in particular. Beside her lay Scott, leaning back against the tree trunk with his hands behind his head. They couldn't see through his red-tinted visor but could sense him rolling his eyes.

"It'll stop in a second. Your homework will survive, Jean." Although he wanted to stay impartial, Kurt couldn't help looking over his shoulder to see Jean's face. He was not disappointed. The wind whipped her red hair about her shoulders making her seem even more intimidating.

"Some of us actually _want_ to graduate, Scott." She shot back, though her words were marred by the pages of her essay fluttering in the wind. Scott shrugged and eased himself down into even more of a slouch, his grin never fading.

"It'll stop in a second, I'm telling ya."

"You're not nearly as smart as you think you are, Summers."

"That's still pretty smart."

"If you spent more time studying and less time bring a smart-ass, you might just make a pass."

"Jean, could you chill for a sec? I'm trying to take a nap." Jean crossed her legs and straightened her back, ready to argue, but before she could say a word, the wind died down again, proving Scott right. He shot Jean a toothy grin and she scoffed, shaking her head as she returned her attention to her homework. Trust even the weather to take his side. Jubilee laughed at the exchange and looked up at Kurt. They shared a smile before she too put pen back to paper.

He turned his head to look out at the gardens, smiling to himself when a few raindrops scattered across his cheek. In all his life, Kurt had never seen so much green. The soft grass, the ancient trees, and the smells: fresh air and damp earth and something he couldn't quite place but knew must mean home. His friends were all seated, taking refuge from the light rain but he stood leaning against the old bark. Now that he had escaped darkness and misery, Kurt wouldn't take a single second of his new life for granted. He'd never let them trap him in a box again.

The rain slowed even more, the slight dips and waves in shallow puddles were the only evidence that it was even still falling. Kurt's keen eyes followed the winding stone path from its beginning by the school until it disappeared into the distance. That's when he saw her. At first, he hardly noticed, he was too busy wondering if he could see the end of the path if he looked hard enough. Movement caught his attention. Nothing, and then all at once, she was all he could see. A girl, her arms loaded with books, a heavy backpack making her stoop slightly. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose plait. Bright, wide eyes surveyed her surroundings, her delight and contentment echoed in her expression. She seemed to glow in the afternoon light and although she walked alone, she didn't appear lonely.

She was drawing closer, following the path up to the school where post-lunch lessons would soon be starting. Kurt knew it was rude to stare but he couldn't look away. He took a slight step back, keeping out of sight just in case she happened to look his way and caught him gawking at her. He almost trod on Jean's essay and she gave an indignant huff. Before she could admonish him for it, Kurt let out a low sigh.

"Wow..." His wistful tone caught all their attentions, his three closest friends frowning up at him in consternation. "Who is _that_?" His interest piqued, Scott sat up to see who Kurt was talking about. He reached up to remove his visor but caught himself just in time. He was used to the glasses Hank McCoy made him, they were leagues better than a tightly wrapped bandage, but sometimes he forgot they weren't sunglasses. If he took off his visor, there'd be disastrous consequences, not least because he would probably disintegrate the girl Kurt was looking at. He'd certainly never hear the end of that.

"I don't know. I guess she's new." Scott replied after a thoughtful pause. He had been at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters for a year or so now and he was confident that he knew the majority of his peers by name or could at least recognise their faces. But no, he'd never seen this girl before. She was certainly pretty, that's for sure. Kurt had a good eye. Jubilee let the boys gawp at the girl for a little while longer before she laughed, shaking her head slightly.

"Her name's Margaret. She's nice." She told them, turning back to her troublesome maths homework. She had understood everything perfectly in class but she was struggling now. Not for the first time, she secretly wished her that mutation could be something a little more applicable to school life. Perhaps she could be a human calculator or have the memory of an elephant, but no, she'd just have to settle for paying closer attention in class. Kurt looked down at her, his scarlet eyes wide and excited.

"You know her?" He began to gesture towards the girl who was steadily coming closer, but he stopped himself just in case she saw him. Jubilee didn't look up, her attention on question 4b of her homework.

"She's in my AP English class." True to form, Scott immediately took up the opportunity to tease Kurt. He sucked in a sharp breath, wincing behind his visor even though they couldn't see it. The corner of his mouth tugged into a pointed smirk as he lightly punched the back of Kurt's knee.

"Sounds like she's too smart for you, dude." Kurt grunted as his knee buckled but he didn't lose his balance. His pointed tail lashed in annoyance but he merely rolled his eyes at Scott.

"Halt die Klappe." Scott didn't speak a lick of German but his friend's tone transcended language barriers. Kurt looked back at the girl, Margaret, and realised that she was no less than ten feet away now. He could see that her face was scattered with freckles and her eyes were a warm, amber brown made only more enchanting by the bright afternoon sun. He breathed a subconscious sigh that made his friends giggle. "She's beautiful, no?"

"Go talk to her." Scott shrugged. He honestly didn't know why Kurt was still standing with them. If he was truly so enamoured with this girl, why wasn't he hurrying over to talk to her? He got his answer quickly. Kurt turned around to face them fully for the first time since they'd taken refuge under the tree and gawped at his friend.

"Was? Nein!" His mouth fell open, exposing his slightly pointed teeth. Scott chuckled at the horrified expression on his face.

"Why not?"

"I'm guessing there weren't many flirting opportunities in the circus." Jean put in helpfully with a soft smile. Scott frowned at her curiously then suddenly his expression relaxed into comprehension. They didn't know much about Kurt's life back in Germany, only what little he'd told them. They didn't want to push him for the gory details, not if he didn't want to talk about it. For the most part, Kurt seemed unaffected by his past life. Now eighteen, he fit in well with the other students and was an irreplaceable member of the X-Men team. Still, his unstable formative years before Raven rescued him had left serious gaps in his education, not least, it appeared, in the case of romance.

"There were no girls like her in the circus." Kurt agreed. His enrolment at Professor Xavier's school was the first opportunity he'd had to spend time with people his own age and others with mutations. He liked to think that he'd be quite good at flirting, given the opportunity. Although he had a feeling if he tried talking to this girl, he'd forget how to talk completely, let alone remember his English. Kurt turned to watch the girl again and saw that she'd walked past them and was halfway up to the school. He burned her image into his memory, the swing of her hair, the warmth in her expression, the carefree bounce in her step, lest he was unfortunate enough to never see her again. The likeliness of this was slim but he wasn't taking any chances. "I've never seen anyone like her before." Beside his feet, Jubilee snorted.

"I'm making an effort not to be offended." She muttered, tossing her dark curls over her shoulder in a show of indignation. Scott nodded in agreement.

"Me too." He elbowed his friend in the back of the leg again but Kurt was expecting it this time and didn't buckle, much to Scott's chagrin. "Aren't we hot enough for you, Kurt?" Finally, he got a reaction out of his friend. Kurt threw his head back, his eyes squeezed shut as he laughed at Scott's words.

He was interrupted by the shrill, demanding ring of the bell signifying that lunch was over, much to the group's collective irritation. Scott let out a long, exaggerated groan as he rose to his feet. He slung his backpack over his shoulder then clapped a hand against Kurt's back, urging him to move. "C'mon, we've got Biology." Kurt used his tail to pick up his bag, an unnecessary thing to do but he was feeling lazy. Scott couldn't help but feel a little envious of his prehensile tail, he too was prone to indolence. They walked in a line up to the old mansion, discussing amongst other things their latest mission, Professor Rosario's "ridiculous" seating plan that meant Scott was two rows away from a girl he liked, and Prince's latest LP.

They passed through the wide front entrance and into the mêlée of students trying to get to their classes before registration began. Kurt followed Scott towards the stairs that would take them to the third floor where Doctor McCoy's lessons were held in the lab. He had only scaled a few steps when he saw her again, the girl. She was one of the hundreds of students in the hallway but he picked her out of the crowd with ease.

He froze on the stair, the complaints of fellow students falling on deaf ears as they walked round him. He felt like he was waiting for something to happen but he didn't know what. The girl turned her head and Kurt held his breath. To his relief, she had only turned to greet a friend. He watched them leave together, experimenting with the way his heart pounded.

Scott was halfway to Biology when he finally realised he was talking to himself. He doubled back and found Kurt still on the stairs. He met him on the middle step and craned his neck to see what had captured his attention. He wasn't surprised to see the mystery girl just before she turned a corner. He rolled his eyes and took Kurt's arm, dragging him up the stairs. "C'mon, you can stare at her another time, lover boy."

"Laser brain." Kurt muttered but he let himself be pulled towards his lesson.

* * *

Despite what Scott said, it was actually days before he saw the girl again. Kurt looked for her in every class, scanned the masses for her face in every hallway, but to no avail. After five days with no sightings, he'd almost given up hope. On the sixth day, he thought maybe he'd imagined her. Although he hadn't seen her since that sunny afternoon, she never left his mind. He thought about her little, contented smile when he should've been studying for a History test. When he and Scott had to give a presentation on Malawi in Geography, he barely contributed. All he knew was her name and that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Exactly one week since he first saw her, Kurt, Jean and Scott were waiting in the hall for Jubilee. They'd all had a free period together in which Jean had studied, Scott bothered Jean, and Kurt pretended to read. They always ate lunch together so they left the library and waited for Jubilee to come out of her class. The bell rang and hordes of students suddenly appeared as if by magic. Jean spotted the bright yellow jacket first, then the girl wearing it. Jubilee bounced down the stairs, a bright spark of colour amongst the sea of students.

"There's Jubilee." Jean pointed their friend out and the boys straightened up, preparing to leave. Scott saw his friend stop halfway down the stairs when she spotted them. She gave them a cheery wave then to his surprise, she grabbed the arm of the girl next to her and guided her over to them. Scott's eyebrows shot up when he realised who Jubilee was with. He took Jean's arm before she could walk away and slapped Kurt's chest to get his attention.

"Hey, hey, she's with that girl Kurt was staring at!" Sure enough, the mystery girl was walking close by Jubilee's side, chatting energetically as they drew closer. Kurt felt his heart rise in his chest, his tail swishing of its own accord. A whole week of nothing and suddenly there she was with one of his friends. Then he realised what Scott had said and narrowed his eyes.

"I wasn't staring."

"Was too."

"Was _not_!"

"Was _too_!"

"Boys, please." Jean hushed them with a simple wave of her hand. Jubilee and her new friend finally navigated the lunchtime rush and met them by the wall. Scott and Kurt both stopped arguing, but while the former adopted his trademark smirk, Kurt was just trying to get his breathing under control. He'd never felt this way before, she hadn't even spoken yet. Whilst Jubilee introduced them, he tried his best not to shrink back into the shadows like all his instincts were screaming at him to do.

"Guys, this is Margaret. She only started last week." Jubilee gestured to the girl, who gave them a warm smile and a little wave. Kurt thought his heart couldn't beat any harder, but then she finally spoke.

"Please, Margaret is my grandma's name. Call me Peggy." Her accent, it was familiar. Irish, he thought, but he wasn't certain. She laughed and the sound made Kurt's heart thud. Beside him, Jean noticed his love-struck expression and tried not to smile. Scott raised his chin and stuck out his hand, just like his brother had taught him to do when meeting someone new.

"Welcome to Mutant School." Peggy shook his offered hand, smiling wryly at his joke.

"Peggy, this is Scott Summers." Jubilee politely introduced her new acquaintance to the gaggle of misfits she called her closest friends. "Jean Grey." Jean gave a little wave and Peggy responded with a kind smile. "And this is Kurt Wagner." Finally, her gaze turned to him and Kurt almost forgot how to breathe.

What he liked most about Xavier's school was that no one stared at him. Back home, it was all people ever did, gawp and murmur and point at the demon boy. But here, where the mutant children of the world sought peace and sanctuary, no one laughed, no one whispered, and he felt safe. The same was thankfully true of Peggy. She didn't look frightened or shocked by his appearance, she simply smiled. And what a smile it was. Her full red lips pulled back in such a way that her eyes crinkled. A dimple appeared in her left cheek and it was all he could do to stop himself from staring. He tried to muster a smile in response but he thought he must have looked rather ridiculous.

"Hi." He greeted quietly, his words suddenly evading him.

"Hi." Peggy repeated back as she adjusted her heavy satchel on her shoulder. Kurt couldn't keep his eyes off her, he didn't know what had come over him. Scott watched with no small amount of embarrassment as his friend's smile grew dopey.

"Hi." Kurt said again, his tone light and dreamy.

"Hi?" Peggy tilted her head, giving him a curious look. Kurt was still gazing at her like she was a starry sky and although it was pretty funny, Scott knew he had to help his friend out. He patted him hard on the shoulder, hoping to bring him out of his dreamlike state.

"Uh, English is his second language. He gets... Confused." He said quickly, thinking on his feet. It was only half a lie and he knew Kurt would thank him for it later, that is if he ever got his head out of the clouds. Thankfully, Peggy didn't question his odd behaviour, choosing instead to follow the change of subject.

"Oh, where're you from?" She asked Kurt with clear interest. By now, Kurt had gotten over the shock of her arrival. His heart was still pounding but at least his tongue was working properly again. He shot Scott a grateful look before he replied.

"Germany, but I moved around a lot. I'm not really from anywhere." He added with a shy smile. To his surprise, Peggy's expression brightened, her eyes wide.

"Oh, du kommst aus Deutschland?" She said with clear excitement. Kurt appeared to perk up when he heard his native language, his attention completely captured by the girl. "Nett, wie schön! Ich wollte schon immer mal dahin, aber du weißt schon... Mit dem ganzen Chaos erscheint einem das unmöglich." Peggy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly looking quite shy despite the others not having a clue what she'd said. Jean, Scott and Jubilee could only watch with confusion as Kurt responded.

"Vielleicht können wir ja eines Tages mal zusammen dahin gehen." He looked and sounded much more confident when he spoke German. All his worries and confusion melted away, the familiarity comforting him. Although the others couldn't understand what they were discussing, Peggy's smile spoke volumes.

"I'd like that." She said softly. Was he imagining it, or were her cheeks a little pink? Scott could hardly believe that Kurt was so smooth in German, he'd have to ask for some pointers later. He cleared his throat awkwardly, reminding the pair that they weren't alone.

"So you speak German." Jean took the opportunity to peek into Kurt's head, just to see if his thoughts were as blatant as the expression on his face. She saw image after image of Peggy, like a stack of Polaroids. Her hands, her shoulders, her mouth, and a couple of other pictures Jean blushed to see, came together to form a whole image of the girl in Kurt's mind. There were so many thoughts racing around her friend's head, she almost couldn't untangle them all.

Before she could look any further, Kurt felt her presence and gave her a look. She grinned back cheekily but left him alone. "So is that your mutation?" Scott asked. He was curious about the girl, mostly for Kurt's benefit. He could tell his friend wanted to ask all these questions himself but he had a feeling Kurt wasn't going to be speaking coherently anytime soon. Peggy opened her mouth to reply but seemed to change her mind halfway.

"Almost." She said instead, a sly smirk on her lips. Kurt laughed quietly and she glanced his way. He felt a little embarrassed of his pointed teeth but Peggy didn't seem deterred. Her own smile grew and he tried not to stare. Jubilee rolled her eyes and decided to take matters into her own hands.

"C'mon, let's go outside and sit down, then we can talk properly." She knew if she didn't guide Peggy away, she and Kurt would probably gaze at each other for the entirety of their already too short lunch break. The little group made their way through the double doors towards the cafeteria. Thankfully the queues had died down so they grabbed their lunch in no time at all.

They chatted easily as they made their way towards their spot, the same tree they were under when they first saw Peggy a week ago. It was a considerably brighter day, not a cloud in sight, so the tree provided some much-appreciated shade. They flopped down onto the grass, letting out sighs of contentment as they finally unloaded their heavy bags from their shoulders. Jubilee asked Scott about their upcoming Maths test while Jean and Peggy got to know each other a little better. Jean found she was funny and friendly, and luckily for Kurt, very easy to talk to. He tried to contribute to the conversation whenever he could but she made him strangely shy. When everyone had finished their lunch, Scott finally remembered what he'd been meaning to ask the new girl.

"So, Peggy, what's your deal?" His question surprised her. In fact, Peggy wasn't sure what he was talking about. She put down her slice of carrot cake (she'd been told it was a rarity in the cafeteria so she guarded it with her life as they waited in the queue).

"My deal?" Scott shrugged, leaning back against the tree trunk in his default slouching position.

"Your mutation. Your spooky thing." He reiterated, smirking at his own joke. Peggy considered his question for a moment. She had been comparatively lucky, at home being a mutant didn't have much of a stigma attached to it. Of course, there was still prejudice but it was rarely voiced to her face and for the most part, people just ignored the topic. Politeness trumped everything back home. At Xavier's school, the kids were free to be themselves. No one had ever asked about her mutation so brazenly, she rather liked it. Peggy dabbed a finger at her cake and scooped up a little cream cheese icing.

"It's not very spooky." She replied, then licked the cream from her finger. Kurt had to look away while Jean winced at the onslaught of very loud and very vivid images she heard plaguing his mind. "Or particularly interesting." Scott shrugged, his perpetual mischievous grin framed by the red-tinted visor.

"Humour me." Peggy rolled her eyes, but humour him she did. She looked around for inspiration, trying to decide the best way to demonstrate the peculiar powers she was born with. The others watched their friend will ill-concealed anticipation. It was always exciting to see someone's mutation for the first time. It was quite rare for two people to have the same powers so they were eager to see something new, something no one else could do. Peggy looked up at the thick branches above their heads and her wondering gaze halted at last. She raised her arm and pointed upwards.

"Hear that bird?" She asked the group. They all looked up to see where she was pointing and saw a scarlet bird with black markings, a cardinal, sitting in a nest it had made for itself. Peggy put a finger to her lips, gesturing for them to keep quiet. Then she pointed to her ear, asking them to listen closely. They waited in silence, biting their lips to hold back any accidental sounds. The cardinal's distinctive whistling call met their ears and suddenly, Peggy pursed her lips and repeated the sound note for note. She was watching the little bird intently, her mouth forming an 'o' shape as she copied the bird call seamlessly.

"Woah, that's cool." Jubilee laughed, they hadn't expected that. Peggy blushed a little at the compliment, no one had ever called it that before.

"It's not just animals." She smiled shyly at her new friends. She didn't really like to talk about herself but every mutant had the right to show off a little when displaying their powers for the first time.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, sitting up from his sprawling position. Peggy turned her amber gaze to him and grinned.

"What do you mean?" She repeated in Scott's voice. The boy looked shocked, his mouth falling open as he gawped at her. Peggy chuckled at his expression, her cheeks going a bit pink.

"Woah! No way!" Scott gasped and again Peggy copied him.

"Woah! No way!" It was so strange to hear Scott's voice coming from her but when they exchanged looks, they knew they were all in agreement, it was _extremely_ cool. Kurt watched Peggy as she stabbed her fork into her cake, an excuse to drop her gaze. She was embarrassed, that much was clear, but he sensed she quite liked the attention. He knew the feeling. Years of hiding and misery and then suddenly everyone wants to know the extent of your mutation, wants to praise you for the powers you were born with. It was a shock to the system for sure but not an unwelcome one.

"That is awesome!" Jubilee gushed, making Peggy's already pink cheeks burn red.

"Can you only repeat stuff?" Jean asked interestedly. Peggy finished her cake and used the paper napkin that came with it to dab the corners of her lips. Again, Kurt tried not to stare. Peggy then cleared her throat and focused on Jean.

"Once I've heard enough of someone's voice," She began, and Jean grinned at the sound of her own voice. "I can say anything." This she said with Jubilee's sweet and musical voice. Peggy turned her head to Kurt, shooting him a grin that made his chest clench. "It's come in very useful." She told him, her tone deeper and accented. It was odd to hear someone speaking to him with his own voice but he couldn't help but laugh.

"This is crazy." Scott muttered, shaking his head and laughing with them.

"Anything else?" Asked Jubilee, making the others stare at her again. They leaned in closer with clear intrigue, if her first power wasn't interesting enough, any other abilities were the cherry on the cake. Peggy laughed at their inquisitive faces and nodded.

"I've been struggling with this one." She admitted. "I can only do it when I'm frightened or if I really concentrate." She raised her hand and pressed it against the craggy bark of the tree. They watched intently, waiting for something, anything to happen. Kurt's attention was divided between her hand and the adorable way that her face was drawn in concentration. Her eyebrows were knitted together, her warm eyes focused and still, her red lips pressed together. He only looked away when he heard Jubilee gasp. He returned his gaze to her hand.

The very tips of her fingers had disappeared. It spread slowly down her fingers, past her knuckles to her wrist where it stopped. Her whole hand had disappeared. When he looked closer, Kurt realised she hadn't turned invisible, her skin had transformed so that it camouflaged with the craggy bark of the tree behind it. Peggy was smiling, feeling quite proud of herself. She'd never managed it so quickly before. Professor Xavier would start coaching her soon, training her so that she had full control of her abilities. She couldn't wait to test the extent of her mutation, to push herself to the limit. A voice brought her out of her own thoughts.

"Wundervoll." Kurt murmured. Peggy looked up at her new friend. His astounded expression made her chest flutter but she wasn't quite sure why. She ignored it for now, grinning at the boy instead.

"Danke." She replied softly, and the feeling in her chest only increased. Scott looked between the pair with thinly-veiled exasperation. Though he knew Jean would chastise him for it later, he cleared his throat, interrupting the moment they shared.

"So, can you do Darth Vader?"

* * *

1\. Oh, you come from Germany? How lovely! I've always wanted to go there, but you know... With all the trouble there at the moment, it seems impossible.

2\. Perhaps we can go together someday.


	2. Chapter 2

Suffice to say, Peggy Murphy was expeditiously accepted by this eclectic group. She honestly couldn't believe her luck. She'd only been at Xavier's school for a week and already she had a loyal, mad, ridiculous bunch of kids she was proud to call her friends. She had AP English with Jubilee, French with Jean, and she and Scott goofed off in PE together. Sadly, she didn't have a single class with Kurt, but Peggy made sure to make up for this in the free time they shared. She loved spending time with him, they always had something to talk about and although he was quite shy at first, they'd been hanging out together regularly and he had completely come out of his shell. She thought about Kurt a lot, actually. More than she'd care to admit.

Peggy was sat in French class, staring straight ahead and pretending to listen intently. She was a good student, always had been. Although, recently she'd been distracted. While her teacher Mr. Harnell droned on about the subjunctive tense, Peggy let her mind wander. She wasn't sure what it was about her new friend that enchanted her so, all she knew was that it was getting increasingly worse.

Kurt was cute, like, _really_ cute and he had this smile that made her heart somersault. But they were just friends, plain and simple. Peggy tried to convince herself that there was nothing significant about always wanting to hold his hand or the number of times she'd caught herself wondering if his lips were as kissable as they looked. The bell suddenly rang, making Peggy jump. Jean frowned at her from the desk beside her and she felt her face grow hot.

Peggy quickly packed away her things, they had a free period next and were meeting the rest of their friends in the library. She followed Jean out of the classroom, grabbing her homework from the front desk as they passed. Jean was just about to ask what had got her all wound up but someone else called Peggy's name before she could. Hank McCoy was waiting for them outside the classroom. He wasn't her teacher, Peggy had only heard about him from her friends, so the fact that he knew her name surprised her.

"Margaret, it's nice to finally meet you." He greeted her with a small smile. Peggy glanced nervously at Jean and was pleased to find her close by her side. "I'm going to oversee your tests. Once we've established your abilities, we'll match you with a teacher who's best equipped to help you learn to control them." Hank explained, much to Peggy's relief. She was worried there was a problem, that she was in trouble. She gave Hank a grateful smile, her whole body visibly relaxing.

"That sounds grand, thank you. When will my… Lessons start?" Hank smiled slightly as she hesitated for want of a better word. He twisted his mouth in thought and fiddled with the pile of books in his arms. From the middle of the stack, he pulled out a small black book. Peggy waited patiently as he flipped through it while Jean stepped from foot to foot. She wanted to get to the library and sit with her friends. Peggy noticed her looking over her shoulder and experimented with sending her a private message. _"You can go, if you want."_ She thought, trying to amplify her words and push them outward, hoping that she would catch them. Jean looked back and smiled apologetically, receiving her message loud and clear.

" _It's okay, I'll wait. I'm just a fidget, sorry."_ Peggy began to smile. Jean's powers would never stop being cool. Although, it was becoming more and more clear that some mutations came with a price. Jean hardly slept most nights because of her nightmares and hearing everyone's thoughts day in, day out must be exhausting. Jubilee seemed very at home with her powers while Scott was still mastering his. Kurt was getting stronger by the day, his confidence growing too. Peggy smiled to herself. She wondered what he was doing right at that moment. Probably listening to Scott complain about something with the patience of a saint. Her smile grew but Jean elbowed her side gently. Hank was talking to her and she hadn't even noticed.

"You can actually come by later today after classes have finished." He looked at her expectantly over the top of his glasses. "Would that be okay?"

"Yeah! Yes, definitely." Peggy said quickly, not wanting him to know that she hadn't been paying attention. She smiled and thanked him again before the girls hurried towards the stairs. Jean frowned at her curiously, her lips pursed.

"Are you okay?" She asked as they breathlessly scaled the winding staircase, skipping every other step to save time. "You've been really distracted today." Though it was a little embarrassing that Jean had to ask such a question, it was a relief to know that she hadn't read her mind. Peggy knew that she tried to keep her powers quashed so she was thankful that Jean wasn't more worried. She'd never get over the humiliation if Jean found out that she'd been distracted because of Kurt. She didn't have a good explanation for her wandering thoughts, she couldn't even explain it to herself.

"I'm great!" Peggy tried her best to sound reassuring and not out of breath. They reached the top of the stairs and Jean dropped the subject, much to Peggy's relief. She kicked herself for getting so distracted and tried to focus on not getting trampled by a rush of students heading in the opposite direction.

* * *

In the library, waiting for their friends to arrive, Jubilee, Scott and Kurt were diligently doing their homework. Well, Jubilee was doing her work, the boys were miserably staring at their notepads and wishing that their assignments would write themselves. They hadn't been sat down for long but time was dragging its feet. Scott had his textbook open to the right page, his pen was full and he'd cracked his knuckles a dozen times but still, his page was blank.

Beside him, Kurt wasn't faring much better. He'd managed to answer a question or two but his heart wasn't in it. He kept getting distracted and had to berate himself for it at regular intervals. After a few minutes of fruitless sitting, Scott decided to take matters into his own hands. Jubilee was sat on his right at the head of their table. Her head was down, her hand hadn't stopped moving since she put pen to paper.

"What're you writing about?" He asked, leaning right over to peek at her work. Jubilee pursed her lips. Scott was a great guy but, man, was he annoying. She glanced down and saw that he was balancing on his chair. With a smirk, she flicked her fingers and sent a single, tiny spark of energy flying into the left chair leg. Scott yelped as he veered suddenly. He would've fallen out of his seat completely if he hadn't flung out his arm and managed to grip the edge of the table. Once he knew he was safe and his heart was no longer in his mouth, he shot Jubilee a scathing glare, not that she could see it properly behind his glasses. Jubilee and Kurt laughed at his expression and she apologised, though she didn't sound all that sorry.

"I have to compare the representation of romantic love in three pieces of literature." Jubilee explained, turning her attention back to her essay. Scott raised his eyebrows at Kurt who had to stifle a laugh. Not wanting to get involved in another argument, Kurt turned his attention back to the Spanish homework they were supposed to be doing together, his pen tracing circle after circle in his notebook as he struggled to understand what the question was asking him.

"Which ones?"

"Uh, 'Othello', 'Washington Square' and this Plath poem." As she listed off the texts, Jubilee pointed to each one of the books lying on the table in front of her. Scott reached over and grabbed the closest of the three, ignoring her irritated sigh. He scanned the cover then flicked through the pages, gauging the tone of 'Washington Square' from the few words he was able to catch sight of. He finished thumbing through it and glanced at the back cover before snorting and handing the book back to Jubilee.

"Sounds riveting." Jubilee snatched the book back, shooting Scott a dark look.

"I know you're being sarcastic but it's actually pretty interesting." She carefully placed 'Washington Square' down next to her other books, making sure that Scott hadn't damaged it in any way. She wouldn't usually care so much but Professor Nnebuogor was very protective of her books and wasn't shy about giving out detentions. Scott scoffed as he watched her suspiciously inspect the book then wipe the cover with her sleeve, as if trying to erase any evidence of him touching it. Jubilee glanced at Kurt, hoping for back-up, but his eyes were down. He'd doodled all over the front page of his notebook and his spare pen was tucked firmly between his gritted teeth, clear indicators of someone struggling with homework.

"What're you doing?" Jubilee asked the boys, hoping to draw the attention away from her books in case Scott took another one. Beside her, Scott groaned dramatically and patted the textbook that sat beside his abandoned notepad.

"Spanish." He grumbled, narrowing his eyes at the blank page in front of him. Jubilee suppressed a smile at his aggravated tone. She knew if she antagonised him, he'd never get any work done and she'd suffer for it. Although, she supposed, she could have a _little_ fun.

"¿Y? ¿Cómo estás?" Scott allowed himself a smile but his irritation soon took over again.

"Not very bueno at the moment." He muttered, glancing at Kurt to see if the feeling was mutual. It was infinitely reassuring to see his friend looked just as baffled as he felt. Kurt finally stopped mindlessly doodling circles on his book and let out a weary sigh.

"I thought English was tricky. This is ridiculous." There was silence again for a little while. Well, as silent as a library could be in a school for mutant teenagers. At one point, a kid called Roger flew over their heads, quickly followed by Carla, a girl with fire in her hands. She was screaming at him to give her satchel back but Roger kept darting around the room, clearly fearing for his life. The trio ignored them, they were used to this sort of thing by now. Fights were commonplace, it was only when mutations were utilised that one had to be wary. After things had calmed down a little, Kurt leaned over to look at Scott's work. He had answered a few of the questions, better than none at all.

"Have you done question six yet?" Scott's head shot up. His mouth fell open and Kurt knew that his eyes were like saucers behind his glasses.

"There are _six_?" Scott had just finished question four and was feeling rather proud of himself. He'd almost filled a page with his paragraphs, a definite improvement on the half-hearted work he usually handed in. He grabbed the sheet in front of him and held it up close to his face, then he flipped it over and saw the four other questions he didn't know were there. Scott swore so loudly that the librarian looked up from her desk.

"Mein Gott." Kurt let his head fall forward onto the desk in defeat with a small 'thunk'. Scott would have laughed if he weren't so miserable. He looked round at Jubilee, who was still meticulously working on her essay. He could see a hint of a smile on her lips, she was enjoying listening to him and Kurt suffer. He was about to call her out on it when he saw a flash of red hair over her shoulder. Jean was coming their way, accompanied by Peggy.

"Hey, guys!" The librarian, Mrs. Donoghue, raised her head and shushed Jean immediately, her sharp eyes boring holes in the side of her head. She pulled a face and mouthed an apology but the librarian simply scoffed and turned back to her book. One would think it would be comforting that most aspects of Xavier's institute were no different from regular schools, but Jean really didn't miss the cranky librarian at her old high school and Mrs. Donoghue could've been her twin. Scott grinned. Jean rarely got in trouble so it was always funny when it did happen.

"Hi!" Peggy added, though in a much quieter voice. Kurt's head shot off the table when he realised who had joined them. His worksheet stuck to his forehead and Scott quickly whipped it away, much to the amusement of the girls. They began to laugh but were quickly silenced with another icy glare from Mrs. Donoghue. Scott rolled his eyes at the mean, old lady but didn't dare argue with her.

"Let me guess, math?" Jean grinned, putting two fingers to her temple and pretending to read their minds. She didn't need to use her abilities, the miserable expressions on the boys' faces were evidence enough. Peggy smiled brightly at Kurt and mouthed 'hello' to him. He tried his best to smile back but he was still embarrassed about his work getting stuck to his face.

"Español." Scott resisted the urge to take off his glasses and destroy the blasted work in front of him. The only thing stopping him was that he'd probably blow a hole through the table and then he'd have the wrath of Mrs. Donoghue to deal with as well as his Spanish teacher. Peggy raised her eyebrows and slid his worksheet across the desk so that she could take a look.

"Ah, ¿tienes deberes difíciles?" She commented, mostly just to annoy Scott. Kurt was quite pleased to hear her speaking Spanish, perhaps she could help them with their homework. Scott, however, was less than amused.

"Are there any languages you don't speak?" He grumbled, sliding his paper back across the desk. Peggy dropped her heavy bag onto the table with a loud thud but she didn't bother looking around to see if she'd disturbed the librarian.

"Non, pardon." Kurt began to laugh but Scott silenced him with a betrayed look. Peggy shrugged as she started to root around in her bag, pulling out her own textbook and notepad. "Well, there are a few I've yet to master but the day is young."

"How come you're so good at it?" Scott couldn't help being jealous. He was close to flunking Spanish and he was adamant it was because Professor Rosario had it in for him, and not because of his meagre work ethic. She'd already sat him across the class from this seriously hot girl he was trying to get to know, it honestly couldn't get any worse. Peggy shrugged again as she opened up her textbook. She wanted to finish the homework Mr. Harnell had just given them quickly. It was due tomorrow and she wouldn't have much time to do it later now that she had a training session with Doctor McCoy.

"Well, I'm smart, Scott. So there's that." Peggy grinned when she heard him scoff. "Plus all this mutant lark helps immensely." She spoke quietly, the majority of her attention was on her homework which she was already tearing through. Peggy's mutation allowed her to mimic anything she heard, from car horns to Beethoven's Fifth, so her memory was immaculate. Learning languages came to her as easily as breathing. She was very grateful, but sometimes she wished it helped with her other subjects as well where her grades weren't nearly as impressive.

"Could you do my homework for me?" Peggy looked up at Scott to find him grinning at her. She rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin up on the heel of her palm.

"No. That's Spanish for no." Scott decided to quit while he was ahead. Again, Kurt smiled and again, Scott gave him a look. Peggy watched him try to straighten out his expression with some difficulty. Kurt noticed her watching him and sent her a small, secret smile meant just for her. Peggy looked down at her work but he could see her cheeks beginning to redden beneath her freckles. Kurt felt very pleased with himself indeed. His friends teased him about his inexperience but maybe he wasn't doing too badly after all.

Peggy looked up at him after a minute, her blush gone now. "Haven't you got a Chemistry test today?" Her question surprised him. Kurt tried to recall why she knew about his upcoming test, it was certainly an odd thing to remember. He realised he'd mentioned it in passing a couple of days ago. He was worried, Chemistry wasn't his strong suit and he had so much on his plate, it was hard to find time to study. He'd merely been thinking out loud in one big catharsis, Kurt couldn't believe that she'd remember something so insignificant.

"Uh, yes. Yes." He stuttered after a stunned pause. He smiled bashfully down at his homework, cursing his tied tongue. "But I have to finish my homework before I can study." Peggy looked thoughtful for a moment then she began to put away her things. Her textbook and notepad she slipped back into her satchel, her French dictionary and pencil case joining them. Then she slipped her bag off the table and hooked it over her chair.

Kurt watched the way she moved with blatant fascination. She was so purposeful, she didn't falter or fidget, every movement she made was precise and decisive. He couldn't help but admire the way she moved, he had always been rather clumsy despite his agility and good balance. Once Peggy had packed away her things, she reached behind her head and twisted her hair up into a loose bun, her amber eyes bright and attentive.

"Here." She reached across the table and picked up his notepad between long slender fingers. He noticed that her nails were the same bright yellow as Jubilee's jacket before he realised what she'd done. Peggy also took his pen from his hand and he let her, waiting to see what she was going to do. She ran her eyes down the page of questions he had to answer then got to work. Scott made an affronted sound but Kurt spoke up before he could.

"That's kind of you but you don't have to do this." He told her quietly, moving to retrieve his textbook. Peggy gently placed her free hand on top of his before he could take it from her. He almost jumped at the contact. It was the first time they'd properly touched. Her hand was smaller than his and he began to grow self-conscious when he realised her fingers ran along the length of one of his own. His hands looked so large and alien compared to hers, the sight made him internally cringe but Peggy didn't care at all. In fact, she was trying not to blush herself.

"I want to." She reassured him with a soft smile. Peggy could get his homework done in no time at all. She wanted Kurt to do well and she had the time and the means, why shouldn't she help? Peggy could feel Jean taking a glimpse into her mind but she tried to shut her out. She knew she was looking for the motive behind her charity, which was, of course, the fact that Kurt was her friend. Just a friend. Nothing more. Not even a little bit.

"What? You'll do his homework but not mine?" Scott cried out, his words getting gradually quieter as he remembered they were in the library. Jean shot him a 'leave it alone' look but Scott ignored her.

"Kurt has a test." Peggy didn't look up from the work in front of her. Kurt had almost finished anyway, six out of eight questions completed. All she would do was answer the final two then check over what he'd already written, just in case. "And he was polite." She added, glancing at Kurt only briefly to give him a sly wink. Kurt smiled down at the desk, trying to ignore the way his heart was racing a mile a minute. Beside him, Scott grumbled under his breath and sat back in his chair. He wasn't really angry and they all knew it, they'd just let him sulk for now. Kurt watched Peggy write for a moment, memorising her intent expression and the concise, non-stop movement of her hand.

"Du tust ihm das absichtlich an, ja?" He asked her softly, nodding towards Scott. Peggy glanced up, her gaze followed his gesture. It took her a moment to remember her German whilst she was in the middle of a paragraph about gentrification in Spanish, but once she'd translated what he'd asked her, she smiled wolfishly.

"Vielleicht." She slowly drew out the word, tilting her head to one side. Kurt lowered his gaze. He knew if he could blush, he'd be red as a tomato. For once, he was grateful for his ink blue skin. Little did he know he'd actually gone a funny shade of lavender and all his friends could see it, including Peggy.

"Thank you." He said after a moment. Peggy shrugged as if it was nothing and returned her gaze to her work.

"It's no problem. Just make sure you get a good grade on your Chemistry." Kurt nodded hurriedly and gathered his textbook from his rucksack.

"Ja, I will." He promised, then in a sudden moment of either absolute bravery or stupidity, he added. "Thanks to you." Peggy stopped writing in the middle of a word. She knew if she looked up she'd be in all kinds of trouble but the temptation was just too sweet. She raised her head and saw that Kurt was smiling at her warmly. She allowed herself a moment to marvel at the colour and cordiality of his eyes before she looked away again, biting back a grin. Scott looked between the pair with mild annoyance. When he noticed Kurt's tail happily swishing from side to side, he let out a deep, exasperated sigh.

"God, get a room." He spoke loud enough for them both to hear. Kurt looked quite confused by his words, he didn't understand what he was implying but Peggy certainly did. She cleared her throat awkwardly and gave Scott a dark look.

"Cállate y haz tus deberes." She muttered, making Scott chuckle. Teasing his friends would never get old, especially when they made it so easy.

They finished their free hour without incident and by the time the bell rang for lunch, Scott had actually finished his homework. He and Jubilee started a friendly argument that ended with a bet to see who could make it to lunch fastest. They took off down the corridor with little to no concern for the other students. Jean thought it best to referee and sped after them, apologising to anyone they disturbed as she went. Peggy laughed at their antics but soon sobered when she realised she'd been left alone with Kurt. Another first. He was laughing too as he watched Jubilee trip Scott then rocket past him to the stairs. He looked back at her, still chuckling and she summoned a smile in return.

They followed the trail their friends had blazed, though at a much slower pace. The realisation that this was their first time alone together hung heavily over their heads though they didn't have the courage to mention it. In fact, neither of them said a word until they reached the stairwell. That was when Peggy decided she'd had enough. She was not generally a quiet person and she liked Kurt very much, she was determined not to be left dithering whenever they happened to be left alone together. She cleared her throat and Kurt glanced her way. Peggy fiddled with the strap of her satchel whilst she screwed her courage to the sticking place.

"Kurt, I wanted to ask you..." She began, choosing her words with care. Peggy knew she had his attention but she dared not look at him for fear that she'd turn bright red, or trip down the stairs, or something equally embarrassing. "Can you come with me to my first session with Hank?" Kurt raised his eyebrows, he hadn't been expecting that.

"You want _me_ to come?" He tried not to show how stunned he was. They reached the bottom of the stairs and Peggy decided it was safe to risk looking at him.

"Well, Jubilee was going to but she has this big project due tomorrow." Peggy didn't know why she lied, there was no need to, but she felt so awkward asking him, it just slipped out. She looked down at the ground again and pulled her hair out of its bun, just for something to do with her hands which were awkwardly floundering by her sides. Kurt watched her curly, dark hair bounce around her shoulders as she walked, trying not to think about what it might be like to run his fingers through it. "I thought it might be fun. Plus, it's an excuse to hang out." Peggy smiled shyly as they finally arrived at the cafeteria.

The large room was buzzing with activity, a welcome distraction from how mortified she felt. She spotted her friends near the head of the line and wondered who had won the bet. Peggy realised Kurt still hadn't responded and felt her heart start to flutter in panic. "You don't have to if you don't want to." She said quickly, just in case she'd misjudged the whole situation and he secretly hated her or something. Had he always been so tall? How had she not noticed? He was almost a head taller than her, his narrow shoulders meeting her chin. Peggy traced the line of his bright red jacket and noticed that she could just about see his collarbone over the top of his dark shirt.

"Nein! I'd love to." She jumped and snapped her eyes up to meet his. Kurt was smiling at her so sweetly it almost made her feel guilty about her wondering gaze. Peggy forced a smile in response, pretending that she hadn't been gawking at him.

"Alright, then." She said brightly. "My session is after classes have finished. Shall I meet you in the front hall?"

"Ja, okay. I'll see you then." They shared a conspiratorial smile. Their silence was no longer awkward but comfortable. Peggy wished she could tell him that he wasn't her second choice, that she wanted him to come with her because she trusted him above everyone else. But she wasn't brave enough. Not yet.

At that moment, Scott joined them with a tray full of food. He didn't seem to notice that he'd interrupted anything, he was too busy revelling in his victory. He narrowly beat Jubilee to the lunch queue and although he'd received a severe telling off from Professor Xavier himself, who happened to witness the whole thing, Scott was on cloud nine. Peggy made her goodbyes and went to join the back of the queue but not before sending Kurt one last ridiculously attractive smile. Kurt tried his best to emulate it but he knew he must have looked a little dumbstruck.

"What was that about?" Scott frowned when he realised he'd barged in on something important.

"Peggy asked me to go to her training session with her." Kurt shrugged him off, playing it cool when really it was all he could do to stop himself swinging from the rafters. Scott raised his eyebrows, clearly he didn't need any more information than that to find something to tease him about.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, _really_?"

"Yes?" Kurt didn't understand what Scott could have possibly inferred from the situation. Then he matched the meaningful look on his face with the mischievous lilt in his tone. "No, Scott, no."

"I didn't say anything!" His friend protested, throwing his free hand in the air as if surrendering. His knowing grin negated any sense of innocence.

"You said many things with your face." Kurt muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Scott laughed at that but he wasn't done teasing him yet. A gaggle of younger kids passed by them and he almost dropped his tray. Grumbling under his breath, Scott nodded for Kurt to follow him and guided him over to the side of the cafeteria.

"I just think it's nice that she'd invite you specifically and no one else." He said innocently once he was sure they were out of the way. Kurt's eyes widened and he gestured for him to lower his voice. Scott gave him a dubious look. No one was around to hear them talking and the clamour in the cafeteria all but drowned him out anyway. Scott looked over his shoulder at Peggy to make sure she was out of earshot. He loved to taunt Kurt but he'd never do it front of her. Well, he would, but not right now.

"Peggy said Jubilee was going to come but she has a big project due tomorrow." Kurt explained quickly, although he wasn't sure why he was on the defensive. He liked Peggy a lot, he didn't need to justify spending time with her. He just didn't like that Scott could read him so well. Was he really so obvious? To his surprise, Scott shook his head.

"No, she doesn't." He said, looking quite confused. "We're going to the mall later. We're going to see 'Temple of Doom', remember? Well, obviously not because you've got a date with Peggy now." Kurt ignored his little good-natured jibe and frowned at his friend.

"You're right, I forgot." His friends intended on sneaking out to the mall that evening to watch the new Indiana Jones movie. He was supposed to cover for them if any teachers got suspicious. "Why would she lie? She could have just asked me." He murmured, almost to himself. Scott nodded quickly, beginning to grow excited. Usually food was his number one priority but Kurt needed help with a girl and that topped everything. Well, Kurt hadn't asked for any help but he hadn't explicitly said that he didn't want it, so Scott had taken it upon himself to be his teacher.

"Which means..?" He pressed, gesturing for Kurt to finish the sentence. His friend stared back at him blankly, completely lost. Scott let out a loud groan making half the cafeteria look their way. "God, Kurt, c'mon, you're killing me!" Kurt looked around them fearfully at all the stares they were getting. "Peggy wanted to invite you but she was embarrassed." Scott explained slowly and carefully, making sure that he understood. Kurt gave a derisive snort. Now Scott was just being stupid.

"Why would she be embarrassed?" He shook his head incredulously. It made no sense to him. What possible reason could Peggy have to be embarrassed around him? Scott sighed deeply and hooked an apple off his tray. He took a huge bite before explaining what he meant.

"Well, not embarrassed, more like shy." He said thoughtfully, not seeming to care that he was talking with his mouth full. Kurt pulled a face as he chomped on his apple again. Scott reached out and lightly punched his shoulder. "She likes you, man!" Kurt rolled his eyes and shook his head before he started to walk away.

"I'm going to miss lunch." Scott didn't bother chasing after him, he still had a tray of food to get through and Jubilee and Jean were waiting at a table across the room. He grinned at Kurt's retreating form, feeling quite proud of himself.

"Don't believe me? I could always ask Jean to take a little look-see." He called after him, tapping the side of his head for emphasis. Kurt looked back over his shoulder and rolled his eyes again.

"Leave it alone, Scott." He shot back but his friend merely laughed.

"Okay, okay but I tried to help." Kurt shook his head in despair and joined the back of the waning queue. While he got his lunch, he tried to shake Scott's words but it was no use. Peggy knew that the others were planning on going to the movies tonight, she'd regretfully turned down her invitation to focus on her piles of homework and Kurt himself wanted to study for a test he had later in the week. Why did Peggy make up an excuse, why didn't she just invite him? Unless she truly was shy. The thought was frankly ridiculous. Peggy was beautiful and charming and way, _way_ out of his league. What reason could she possibly have to feel shy around him? Kurt tried not to think about it too much and focus on his lunch. Maybe he'd ask her about it later. He smiled when he realised that he and Peggy would be alone together again. He thought of nothing else for the rest of the day.

* * *

1\. You're doing this on purpose, yes?

2\. Maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

It was late afternoon and as the shadows lengthened, the chaotic din of Xavier's school began to diminish. Classes were over for the day and spirits were high. Some of the older students were allowed to travel into town so long as they respected the curfew. The younger kids were either outside enjoying the sunshine or lounging around the mansion, playing video games, listening to music or just appreciating some downtime with their friends.

The only person in the whole school who wasn't relaxed was Peggy. She stumbled out of her room so suddenly, it frightened a freshman coming the other way. She slammed her bedroom door behind her and raced down the hall, ignoring the strange looks she received from other students as she passed them. She was late, not only for her session with Hank but for meeting Kurt, and of all the people she didn't want to insult, he was top of her list. She had hoped her new friends wouldn't find out about her disastrous timekeeping until it was too late.

Peggy groaned as she struggled to pull her jumper over her head whilst racing down the stairs at a frankly dangerous velocity. There was every chance that Kurt wasn't going to be waiting for her in the front hall. She was twenty minutes late and anyway, hanging out with his other friends would be way more fun than watching her struggle through her first training session. The thought slowed her feet.

The front hall lay at the end of the corridor but she couldn't see into it completely. What if he hadn't turned up? No, Kurt was a nice guy, he would've told her if he wasn't coming. Peggy reprimanded herself for digressing in such a way. She couldn't allow her own anxieties to disparage someone as kind as Kurt. She picked up the pace again and hurried into the next room. To her surprise and relief, Kurt was there waiting for her. He span around when she tumbled into the room, his tail tensing, his mutation concentrating instinctually. He was on the brink of teleporting away when he realised it was her. Peggy was grinning widely, her face flushed and her hair wild. She laughed as she made her way over to him.

"Oh, thank God, you're here!" Peggy placed her hand on the top of his arm and squeezed, trying not to lean on him as she got her breath back. Kurt couldn't help laughing. He'd been waiting in a silent, empty hallway and suddenly in came Peggy like a hurricane, almost bowling him over.

"Am I early?" He asked, although he realised from the way she'd rocketed into the room, it was a rather stupid question. Peggy shook her head hurriedly, still trying to catch her breath.

"No, no, you're perfect." This seemed to ease Kurt's worries but Peggy baulked at her own poor choice of words. "You- you have perfect timing. Your timing is perfect." She stammered through a reiteration that only seemed to make things worse. Peggy's face grew hot and she knew she was blushing. She just hoped he would think it was because she'd been running and not because she was suddenly painfully inarticulate. Kurt merely smiled politely and waited for her to continue. Peggy thanked her lucky stars that Kurt was so tolerant, she didn't think she'd be nearly so patient in his shoes. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves then tried again. "I, however, am very late." She said, slowly and calmly. She was back to her usual self, cool and collected and very excited. Peggy grinned again and grabbed his arm. "Come on!"

Kurt laughed as she pulled him in the direction of Hank's laboratory. He tried not to show how disappointed he was when they reached the room and she finally let go of his arm. Peggy forgot to knock and burst into the lab with no warning, making Hank practically jump out of his skin even from across the room. Kurt wondered if this was going to be a regular thing with her or if it was just because she was late. "Doctor McCoy, I'm so sorry!" Peggy rushed before Hank could say a word to greet them. Although she'd startled him, he was quick to recover. Hank stood and peeled off the heavy duty gloves protecting his hands.

"No problem." He assured her. Peggy's heart rate finally began to slow. If there was one thing she hated, it was being late and yet that was all she ever seemed to be. Hank rounded the bench he was working at and met them by the door. He smiled first at Peggy then at her companion. "Kurt, I didn't expect to see you." Peggy reached out and touched Kurt's arm, something she'd been doing a lot that evening, much to his delight.

"We're very good friends. Is it alright if he stays?" Hank looked between her hopeful expression and her hand clutching Kurt's sleeve. He could sense that she was nervous about the tests and while he would do his best to reassure her, he knew that having a friend close by was a far more effective remedy. Kurt himself was still reeling from being described as her 'very good friend'. It wasn't exactly a marriage proposal, but the way she held him close to her side, the sleeve of his jacket between her fingers, he could hope that she felt more for him than that.

"I won't get in the way." Kurt added, raising his free hand. Peggy was touched that he hadn't offered to wait outside, he _wanted_ to stay. Hank raised his eyebrows at Kurt, who was gazing at Peggy with such wonderment he felt like he was intruding on something.

"It's fine. Take a seat." He turned and waved them over to the workbench. Peggy glanced at Kurt. She must have looked as nervous as she felt because he gave her a reassuring smile and gestured for her to go first. Peggy swallowed thickly and followed Hank over to the counter. She sat down on the stool he offered her, self-consciously tugging at the hem of her skirt as Kurt sat beside her. He noticed her fingers nervously fidgeting and decided to do something about it. Kurt wanted to show her that there was nothing to be afraid of, so he leaned forward in his seat and folded his arms on the counter, resting his chin on top.

While Hank gathered all the equipment he needed, muttering to himself as he did so, Kurt's relaxed posture caught Peggy's eye. She noticed his tail lazily swaying from side to side, his low shoulders and small smile. Her fingers stilled and Kurt's smile grew. "So, your mutation." Hank dropped a large machine onto the pristine workbench with a lot less care than one would expect a scientist to show his equipment. The machine was small and square and looked rather like a computer except it was whirring and beeping away curiously. Hank let out a slight sigh as he sat down opposite the two younger mutants. "Professor Xavier tells me you have the ability to camouflage at will?" Peggy began to nod but then she pulled a face.

"Well, more 'with great difficulty' than 'at will'. But I'm getting better." She explained, making Hank smile. Using humour as a defence mechanism was the only thing stopping her from running out of the room. That and Kurt, who turned his head so he could see her better and smiled easily. Peggy drew in a soothing breath and he nodded slightly, encouraging her to relax. She was glad she'd brought him with her.

"That's good. A little more practice and you should have full control." Peggy would have thought Hank was talking to himself from his quiet tone but he kept glancing up at her every so often. He was prodding at the machine, which had stopped whirring now that it had warmed up. He smoothed a hand down its side and pressed his fingertips into a specific point. Kurt and Peggy watched with acute fascination as a side compartment popped out from which Hank drew a number of winding, silver wires that looked far too long to fit inside such a small slot. Hank stood again and rounded the workbench. He held up the wires for Peggy to see then asked her to tie her hair back. Luckily, she never went anywhere without a hairband, so she pulled one off her wrist and swept her hair up into a bun. Kurt tried not to stare.

Hank began to explain what the machine did as he stuck the wires at strategic points on Peggy's temples and the base of her neck. The last wire he clipped to her index finger, like the kind doctors use to measure your heart rate. "The Professor also said you can mimic sounds." Hank continued once he was sure everything was set up correctly. Peggy nodded. The glue on the stickers he used to keep the wires in place itched her skin but she tried her best to ignore it. She didn't want to aggravate the little machine which she already trusted about as far as she could throw it.

Hank sat down again and typed something into the machine. It gave a few short beeps then silence. It seemed to mean something significant because Hank nodded to himself and wrote something down in a little notebook. Peggy tried to see what he was writing but she couldn't make it out. "Could you demonstrate?" He asked, gesturing for her to show her mutation. Peggy glanced at Kurt who was still leaning forward, not looking the least bit on edge. If he saw no reason to be nervous than neither should she.

Peggy opened her mouth and sound after sound fell from her lips. Kurt had never heard anything like it. She'd been storing away little snippets for as long as she could remember. Blaring car horns, popcorn kernels on the stove, cows in the field by her house, a whole array of obscure, unrelated sounds that were stowed in the back of her memory. When she was done, Hank smiled. "Very good." He murmured, scribbling down whatever information the computer had given him. Peggy looked down at her lap, feeling quite self-conscious.

"I have much more control over that one. I've been doing it since I was a kid. The camouflaging... It's a little harder." Hank hummed in thought, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.

"Well, we'll soon fix that." He assured her, sending Peggy a quick smile before he began to tap away at the machine again. Peggy chewed on her lip, watching Hank work with ill-concealed apprehension. The wires that sprouted from her head felt heavy and dangerous, the clasp on her finger was just that little bit too tight. She glanced at Kurt and saw that he was already gazing at her.

She thought she must have looked rather silly all covered in wires but when he smiled at her, it was to comfort her, not because he found her appearance amusing. Peggy summoned a smile in response, thanking God that she had someone as caring and considerate as Kurt Wagner by her side when she was feeling so scared. "Your heart rate is a little fast, are you okay?" Hank's concerned question recaptured Peggy's attention. He was frowning at her from across the counter, his hand resting on top of the little computer. Now that she really listened, Peggy could hear a soft beeping sound coming from it and she realised it was her own heartbeat.

Her face began to burn when she realised she'd been thinking about Kurt and her own heart had betrayed her. She cleared her throat and tried to brush all thoughts of her friend from her mind, hoping that they wouldn't make the connection. "It's okay to be nervous." Hank hadn't seen her looking at Kurt so he assumed that her spiking heartbeat was due to stress. Peggy refrained from heaving a huge sigh of relief. She didn't think she could recover from that level of mortification. "Kurt, why don't you help her to relax while I record this data?" Hank suggested, then left the table.

Peggy would've rolled her eyes if Kurt hadn't been watching her. There was no way talking to him could ever stop her heart from fluttering, much to her own irritation and embarrassment. What was the matter with her? Kurt was her friend and yet here she was being told by a doctor that her heart went on the fritz whenever he so much as looked at her. Kurt sat up at last and turned around in his chair.

"You've done all this before, haven't you?" She spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb Hank who was busy fiddling with a long snake of paper from a different machine. She wrinkled her nose as sheet after sheet of information about her was spat out. She wondered what it all meant, but it was very likely she wouldn't understand the answer she was given.

"Yes, when I first arrived at the school." Kurt nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest, tucking his heels over the edge of the chair and wrapping his long arms around his legs. Peggy glanced down at his feet and saw that he'd somehow managed to wedge them into a pair of trainers. Hank modified a pair soon after Kurt arrived at the Institute so that it was easier for him to blend in and he was more comfortable. He didn't wear them all the time but they came in handy. Peggy looked away from his shoes, knowing exactly what the connotations of Kurt's large feet would do to her heart rate and she didn't think she'd be so lucky with the little computer the second time around.

"And?" She cleared her throat awkwardly as she tried to stay on topic. Kurt didn't notice her wandering gaze. He shrugged and pulled his knees closer to his chest, an action she found marvellously endearing.

"I enjoyed it." He smiled widely displaying his slightly pointed teeth. "Before then, I hadn't been allowed to test the full extent of my mutation. It felt good. I felt... Strong." Kurt bowed his head ever so slightly, holding her gaze. Her warm eyes shone in the bright white light of the lab. He knew Peggy was still frightened of the machine she was hooked up to and of what it might tell her about her mutation. Kurt reached out and squeezed her shoulder, just as she had done with him. He'd found the gesture impossibly comforting, hopefully she would feel the same way. "You will too." Peggy's shoulders lowered and her creased forehead relaxed. The machine Hank was tinkering with finished spitting out paper and he came back over to the workbench.

"Okay, you ready?" Peggy mouthed 'thank you' to Kurt then counted to three in her head before nodding. Hank saw the concentration on her face and began to smile. "Don't worry, you won't feel a thing." He reached up and fiddled with a few of the wires, making sure they were stuck down properly. Peggy wasn't sure what he was doing but she trusted him. She tried to keep her breathing steady as he stepped back, gesturing for her to stand up.

Peggy rose to her feet and Hank hurried over to the little computer again. "Now, this time I'm going to record the data so that I can study your mutation. That way we can help you concentrate your powers and perhaps even find out how you're able to do the things you can do." Hank explained as he typed rapidly, his eyes never leaving the little screen. Peggy nodded to show she understood, her voice suddenly evading her. Kurt was still sat down but he watched her closely. She felt safe knowing he was looking out for her.

Hank finally finished typing then flicked a switch. The little machine hummed in response. "Can you mimic something, anything? Just off the top of your head." Peggy thought for a moment then began to smile. She opened her mouth and sang 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' but in Hank's voice. Kurt thought the whole thing was outrageously funny but Hank blushed all the way through it. He didn't ask her to stop because it would mess up the readings he was getting. And, he supposed, it was good to see Peggy relaxing and enjoying the powers she was born with. Eventually, Hank raised a hand and she stopped singing. "Okay, okay." He chuckled, unable to decide if he was embarrassed or flattered by her choice. "Can you try camouflaging now?" Peggy's smile diminished slightly. While mimicking came to her as easily as breathing, her second ability was not so easy to control and was frankly pretty exhausting.

"I can try." She replied, emphasising her doubt in just three short words. Hank gave her a sympathetic look but explained that he really needed the data. She'd have to do it eventually, she might as well get it out of the way. Peggy looked to Kurt for some encouragement and he nodded, giving her a wide smile. With her courage bolstered, Peggy raised her hands out in front of her, palms up.

She tried to block out the cacophony of sounds the laboratory produced and just focus on her abilities. As always, the tips of her fingers began to disappear first. Peggy gritted her teeth with the effort, all her energy going towards engaging and manipulating her mutation. Her knuckles disappeared, followed slowly by her palms and then her wrists. Just as she felt on the verge of a breakthrough, something snapped inside her head and her hands were visible again. Peggy let out a frustrated groan, two fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." Hank said quickly, not wanting her to get frustrated. It was always tough at first but he knew very soon Peggy would be able to camouflage with ease and wonder why it had ever seemed so difficult. "Try again."

Peggy focused her mind. She stared at her hands, willing them to disappear. The same thing happened. Her hands vanished and just as her camouflage reached past her wrists, something snapped and she was visible again. Peggy huffed and shook out her hands. If she concentrated any harder she was going to burst a blood vessel. She needed to relax, settle her nerves. Peggy apologised to Hank but he waved her off, assuring her that none of her predecessors had managed it on the first try. Knowing that hundreds of students had come before her and experienced the same trouble helped her a little. Then Peggy had an idea. She met Kurt's gaze and smiled at him softly.

"Kurt? How'd you do in your Chemistry test?" Hank couldn't help but think she was getting off topic but he didn't say anything. Kurt thought so too but was more than happy to answer her question. Peggy was a smart girl, everything she did was for a reason. He could see the spark of an idea in her eyes and wanted to help in any way he could.

"It went well actually. I answered every question and I had time left over." It wasn't exactly a riveting story but Peggy seemed pleased. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin, a small smile on her red lips.

"I knew it, secret genius." She nodded in Hank's direction. "You'll be working with him soon." Kurt raised his eyebrows at Hank as if to ask if he had a chance. Hank merely shook his head in amusement. Kurt laughed again then looked back at Peggy. His smile dropped when he saw her forehead creased as if she was in pain.

"Are you okay?" He asked her quietly, his voice suddenly eluding him. Peggy nodded but didn't open her eyes. Her arms were straight down at her sides, her chin still jutted proudly.

"Yeah, just keep talking to me." She replied softly, and so he did. Kurt talked about some of the questions on his test, the ridiculous amount of homework the Professor had given them, their plans for the weekend and what he suspected was for dinner that evening. On first impressions, Kurt appeared shy and quiet, but once he got going, it was hard to get him to stop. Not that Peggy would ever ask him to stop talking. She could honestly listen to him all day without ever once getting bored. His voice was soft and there was something so earnest about the way he spoke. In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she was finally able to relax properly.

Whilst Kurt's calming tone soothed her frazzled mind, Peggy focused on her powers again one last time. She slowed her breathing, allowing her to concentrate on the task at hand with a clear head. Peggy forced herself to imagine that she'd disappeared completely, that she'd camouflaged with her surroundings. Her head was starting to hurt, her jaw clenched with the effort. She imagined what it felt like, that familiar but still so alien sensation that crept over her skin. She could feel something trickling from her nose and realised she was bleeding but still she concentrated, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Nothing at first and then suddenly-

"Woah!" Kurt gave an involuntary cry, cutting off his own sentence. Peggy had completely vanished. He stood up from his chair and stared hard at the space where she used to be. Her clothes hung in the air like some sort of strange ghost but the girl was gone.

"Wonderful!" Hank happily tapped away at his computer as it spat out more data. "That's really good work." Peggy opened her eyes and found her companions both staring at her in fascination. She began to smile and her concentration was lost. With a slight shimmer, like a mirage over hot desert sand, Peggy reappeared again. She sucked in a deep breath and gave a giddy laugh. Kurt began to congratulate her when he saw that her nose had started to bleed. Before he could say a word, Peggy's elated expression suddenly relaxed and she turned quite pale.

"Bloody hell..." She breathed. Her legs swayed and what little strength she had left dissipated. Peggy's knees buckled and she fell forward. She managed to grab the edge of the workbench but if Kurt hadn't jumped forward and caught her just in time, she would've collapsed to the floor.

"Peggy?" Kurt wound his arms around her middle, struggling to hold her upright. He wrapped his tail around her waist for extra support whilst Hank ran to get her a glass of water.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Peggy said in a small voice. Her face was pale and sweat beaded her forehead but her eyes were clear and steady. "Just a bit light-headed. I feel like I've been holding my breath for an hour." She gave a weak laugh. Peggy put some weight on her legs, wobbling at first but she soon felt her strength returning. Kurt was reluctant to let her go. He carefully slid his hands from her waist to her elbows, supporting her just in case she collapsed again.

"Here, sit down." He led her over to the bench and helped lower her onto a stool. His grip on her arms was strong but not tight. Peggy knew she would've fallen over completely without his help. She couldn't help being touched by how attentive he was. He'd let go of her arms but she could still feel pressure around her waist. She looked down and saw this his tail was wrapped around her. Kurt seemed to notice it for the first time as well and quickly retracted his tail, his face growing hot as he apologised. Hank returned with a glass of water and she thanked them both for their help.

"But that was good, wasn't it? I disappeared?" She checked, dabbing at her nose with a wet cloth Hank gave her. She wiped away the blood whilst Kurt watched on vigilantly.

"Yes, you did." Hank was glad she was so pleased with herself. It took a lot of hard work to have control of one's mutation, it was always good to see it paying off. He went to check that the computer had recorded all the data from her tests. After he was sure he had all the information he needed, Hank set about removing the wires from Peggy's head. She winced slightly but didn't say a word. "We'll need to work on that." Hank gestured to her nose which had finally stopped bleeding. "Don't want you passing out in the middle of a fight." Kurt chuckled at that but Peggy frowned.

"A fight?" She repeated, looking between the boys with confusion as she sipped her drink. Her headache was beginning to clear. Her vision was focused now and she could feel her mutation retreating. Kurt took the spare seat, staying close just in case she quavered again.

"You know about the X-Men, yes?" Peggy almost choked on her drink. She knew all about Xavier's task force. He'd told her about it as soon as she enrolled at the school. The Professor had put together a group of students and teachers who were to protect other mutants and defend those who couldn't help themselves.

"Yes, of course. But I'm not..." She placed a hand on her chest, shaking her head hesitantly. When neither Kurt nor Hank said anything she scoffed. "I'm just a variety act! My mutations are self-defence mechanisms, I can't fight." Scott, Jean, Kurt and the others all had mutations they could use in battle. There was no way that her camouflaging and mimicry could possibly be of any use. Hank shrugged as he finished packing away the little computer.

"Well, like you said, your mutations are all survival techniques, self-defence. But with combat training and a lot of hard work, you would be a part of the X-Men team." He explained. "If you wanted, of course." Peggy sat back in her chair, her gaze falling to the floor.

"I didn't expect this." She whispered. Kurt couldn't tell what she was feeling from her tone. Was she pleased? It would be good to have her on the team and any excuse to see her more often was certainly a bonus. He and Hank exchanged a glance.

"Think about it." Hank said. "It's almost dinnertime, you should go get some rest." Peggy nodded, her mind still occupied with the news. She slowly stood from her seat and tried not to show how stunned she was. Joining the X–Men hadn't even crossed her mind. She didn't know it was open to all students, only those with the most valuable and formidable mutations. Despite her shock, she felt a tug of excitement in her chest. She had the chance to be a part of something special, something greater than herself. She and her friends, fighting for justice. It sounded rather fun.

"Thank you, Doctor McCoy." Peggy said when she realised she'd been silent for quite a while. They made their goodbyes then left the lab, considerably more quiet than when they came in. Kurt got about halfway down the hall when he realised that Peggy wasn't following him. She was still standing outside the door to the lab, staring at the floor with a strange smile on her face.

"Are you okay?" Kurt hurried back, eyes sweeping over her just in case she was about to collapse again. Peggy raised her head and instantly noticed his worried expression.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine." She reassured him, giving him a grateful smile. Peggy didn't usually like being fussed over, but knowing that Kurt was concerned about her was strangely heart-warming. She finally got her legs working properly and they began to walk back down the corridor. "I just can't believe I disappeared completely." She breathed, shaking her head incredulously. Kurt laughed at her expression.

"Well done." He slid his hands into the pockets of his red jacket. He'd been given it on his first day in America and couldn't bear to part with it. He'd also seen Michael Jackson wearing a similar one in his latest music video and that only increased his love for it.

"I doubt I'll ever manage it again though." Peggy rolled her eyes at the idea. It had nearly knocked her out this time, she didn't fancy doing that again. It only ever worked properly when she was afraid, but she supposed that was exactly how she would feel on the battlefield anyway.

"You will, I know it." Kurt nudged her arm with his to make her laugh. "Soon, it will be as easy as-" Peggy jumped as he suddenly disappeared in a flash of dark, curling smoke. She coughed a little when the acrid smell met her nose, waving away the smoke as Kurt reappeared down at the other end of the corridor. He waved to her and she laughed at the absurdity of it all. She'd only seen him use his teleporting ability a few times. It was ridiculously entertaining, though he often startled her. There was another **BAMF** and he appeared beside her. She coughed again but couldn't hold back a smile. It was good to see him master his mutation, hopefully she would soon have the same control.

"Do you reckon you could take me to my room?" Peggy didn't want to be cheeky but she still felt a little light-headed and couldn't bear the thought of all those stairs. Kurt grinned, always happy to show off. He gently took her by the arm then warned her to brace herself. There was another loud **BAMF** , a whooshing sensation like being in a wind tunnel and then suddenly, they were upstairs.

Peggy was glad she'd thought to bend her knees in preparation for their re-entry. She almost staggered back but Kurt caught her and held her upright. She looked around and saw that they were right outside her door. How polite of him to not teleport them inside. "Much obliged, Herr Wagner." Peggy said quietly as she untangled herself from her friend. Kurt shrugged as if it was nothing but she saw his proud little grin.

"Are you going to be alright?" He asked as she reached for her door handle.

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better now." She just needed a lie-down and another drink and she'd be right as rain. Peggy opened her door and Kurt caught a glimpse of her bedroom before she entered the doorway. There were clothes scattered across the floor and her window was wide open, making the curtains lift and flap. He hadn't been inside yet but didn't want to intrude, no matter how curious he was. "Thank you for coming with me. I don't think I would've been able to do any of it without you." Peggy said, recapturing his attention. Kurt looked bashful as shoved his hands back into his pockets, looking anywhere but at her.

"I don't know about that." He murmured, but Peggy wasn't having any of it. It mattered that he knew how grateful she was and how much he'd helped her, not least with her training. She leaned against the doorframe, hooking one foot behind the other.

"Honestly, you're a godsend." She shook her head as if she couldn't believe it herself. Then she reached through the doorway and lightly punched his shoulder. "I'll have to keep you close by." She gave him a sly smile and Kurt's mouth fell open as he tried to think of an adequate response. God, if Scott were there, he could've fed him a hundred lines but no, he was alone with Peggy and although he felt on top of the world because of it, his nerves were going into overdrive.

"If you do decide to join the X-Men, maybe we could be partners." He said eventually, after much deliberation. Peggy's confident smile slipped a little and she looked away. Partnering with Kurt would be enormous fun, she couldn't think of anything she'd rather do. Her fear of what would become of her if she joined the X-Men was the only thing stopping her. Peggy wasn't strong or fast or athletic, all she had was a head full of sound effects and a camouflaging ability that made her faint. Although, if she worked hard enough, maybe she could do well. Seeing more of Kurt was a definite plus. Peggy let out a low, wistful sigh and tilted her head to the side.

"Now there's a persuasive argument." She murmured, a sweet smile sliding onto her lips. Kurt's gaze lingered on her mouth. Her deep red lipstick and round bottom lip made his heart thud. He debated with himself for several moments on how inappropriate it would be to just step forward and kiss her, but eventually, the more rational side of his brain won.

"I hope so." He smiled back despite his intense inner turmoil. "Because I think you would like it." He recoiled when he realised what he'd said and rushed to correct himself. "The X-Men. I think you would like being in the X-Men." He chuckled and looked away from her, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, my English is…" He trailed off for want of a better excuse. It was a longshot but Peggy was polite enough to ignore it.

"Well, in that case, guten Abend." She took a step backwards into her room. A slight breeze wafted in and played with her hair. Kurt nodded and took his own step back, giving her space. "I'll meet you downstairs for dinner, shall I?" Peggy asked as an afterthought. Kurt nodded quickly, his tail waving from side to side happily.

"Bis bald." He said cheerily. Peggy grinned.

"Bis später, alligator." Kurt laughed before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Peggy smiled at the space he had just vacated then closed her bedroom door. She was a little embarrassed that he'd seen her room in such a state but if they were going to be friends, he had to accept all her shortcomings. She thought about tidying up but soon decided she'd much rather not. Peggy flopped down on her bed with a deep sigh, relishing in the feeling of putting the weight off her feet.

She closed her eyes and took in a lungful of the fresh, clean air floating in through the open window. She was going to be an X-Man. X-Woman? X-Person? She'd have to ask about that. Peggy rolled over onto her side and tried to quell her excitement, otherwise she'd never get any sleep. She couldn't wait to see her friends again and tell them all about her first training session. She looked forward to seeing one friend in particular and thought about his smile until she dropped off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Raven set the last mat down with a slight sigh. She straightened up and dusted off her hands, more out of habit than to shake off any dirt. She looked around the room with sharp eyes, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. No, that was the last piece of equipment. Raven toed the mat in line with the others as the gym door opened. She didn't look up, she knew who it would be.

"What's this new girl's name?" Raven called across the room. Hank kicked the door closed behind him, his arms loaded with so much stuff that he could only just see over the top of it all. He placed the modified tech down on the table with unparalleled care and made sure everything was accounted for before he answered.

"Margaret Murphy." He said quietly, his attention focused solely on the armour in his hands. Raven watched him work for a moment, wondering if Hank would be mad if she interrupted his concentration. She decided very quickly that she didn't care either way.

"What's she like?" Raven asked as she made her way over to the table he was working at. He'd laid the armour out, fitting every piece together like a jigsaw puzzle. She noticed it was Scott Summers', the red-tinted visor gave it away. Each of the X-Men had a suit specifically modified for their individual mutation. It had taken a lot of work but now Peter's armour could withstand enormous friction without heating up or wearing out, Ororo didn't have to worry about getting too close to the lightning she generated, and Kurt's acrobatic skills were unimpeded. Lately Scott had been complaining about the sight in his visor being off. So far there hadn't been any disastrous consequences but it was only a matter of time. Hank insisted it was because Scott needed to work on his aim but after a while, he decided to take a look at his suit just to shut him up.

"Good student. Doesn't cause trouble. Unlike some of her friends." Hank glared at Scott's armour and Raven almost smiled. "She's strong, stronger than she thinks. You'll like her." Raven shrugged as she picked up one of the pieces of armour. She turned it over in her hands, testing the lightweight yet strong material. They could move and fight easily but were impervious to almost every weapon. Although, their enemies were growing increasingly creative. Raven remembered one instance where Peter almost lost a leg because of a volatile mutant with a remarkably powerful volcanic mutation. Hank hadn't left his laboratory for days after that, not until he'd upgraded their suits for the umpteenth time. Raven supposed it was nice to know he cared about the X-Men as much as she did. Most were students, some still kids. They had to protect them. Raven carefully placed the piece back down and folded her arms.

"Whether I like her or not is irrelevant." She said quietly, her yellow eyes studying the rest of the armour. Hank smirked at her words.

"Try not to be such a ray of sunshine around the students." Raven turned her head to meet his gaze and for a moment they shared a smile. Then she looked away again, not wanting to entertain old feelings.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it professional."

* * *

Kurt watched Peggy carefully. She was biting her lip so hard he was worried she'd draw blood. It was clear from the expression on her face that she was lost in thought and she was completely still apart from her fingers, which she was knotting together anxiously behind her back. Since her meeting with Hank and the revelation that she would be allowed to join the X-Men, Peggy had thought of nothing else. Kurt was especially pleased. He kept talking about the adventures they would have once Peggy finished her training. She listened avidly to his stories about past missions and all the places they would go and the people they would meet. It all sounded too good to be true, fighting bad guys with her best friends. In fact, Peggy almost didn't believe that she could be so lucky.

A week passed after her consultation with no news and then suddenly that morning, Hank knocked on her bedroom door and told her that she would be joining her friends in a training session. Peggy was excited at first. She couldn't wait to start learning how to fight and to finally understand the potential of her powers. Now, however, the gravity of the situation had finally dawned on her.

Peggy and her friends were just down the corridor from the gym, waiting for Jean to come downstairs so that they could all start their training together. Peter was busy with his little sister's birthday party and Ororo had a one-on-one training session later, so it would just be their group today. That helped to ease her nerves a little. Peggy had met Ororo already and liked her very much but she felt a lot more at ease knowing she was surrounded by her closest friends. She swallowed thickly, trying not to think about the nausea that threatened to bubble over in the pit of her stomach.

What if she was useless at fighting? What if her teacher hated her? What if they wanted to see her camouflage and she passed out again? Self-doubt was not something Peggy often entertained but now her worries were going into overdrive. She was relieved that Jean wasn't with them, she'd probably give the poor girl a headache with all the anxious thoughts whirling around inside her head. Kurt knew she was nervous, he could sense it. He'd felt the same way before his first session, though he had a feeling Peggy's would not be nearly so intimidating. Getting the Danger Room on his first spin was not exactly his idea of a good time but luckily for Peggy, she would only be starting with some self-defence training.

Peggy looked up and caught his gaze. He blushed, ashamed to be caught staring, and looked away. When Kurt glanced back, Peggy was still watching him but her worried expression was gone now. She held his gaze for a moment before offering him a sweet half-smile. Kurt tried his best to copy her but he was still feeling embarrassed so it came out a little crooked. Peggy found this ridiculously attractive and pressed her lips together, her chest fluttering on cue.

Scott looked over and noticed them smiling at each other like idiots. He rolled his eyes and muttered to Jubilee beside him, who stopped snapping her gum to see what he was talking about. She snorted when she saw them and muttered something back that made Scott grin. Kurt's ears pricked when he heard them whispering and felt his face heat up. He began to look away again when something about Peggy caught his eye.

"Is that… Is that my shirt?" Although his voice was quiet, it broke the silence of the corridor and Peggy was so on edge that it startled her a little. At first, his question confused her but then she looked down at the clothes she wore. Kurt's tail swayed from side to side contentedly when she gave him a lopsided, nervous smile.

"Oh, I realised I didn't have anything to wear for the session. Scott said he didn't have anything but you might, and he came back with this." She tugged at the hem of the shirt which ended halfway down her thigh. It was far too big for her but beggars couldn't be choosers. "He said that you said it was alright." She saw the confused look on his face and realised with a jolt that Scott had lied to her.

Peggy looked at her so-called friend with wide eyes but he was making an effort to look anywhere but at her. She opened her mouth to question him but humiliation stoppered her words. Kurt still hadn't said anything which she assumed meant that he was upset with her. "You can have it back, I can ask someone else." Peggy said quickly, looking around for someone she could ask instead but they were alone in the corridor. Jubilee was too small for her to borrow any of her clothes and Jean still hadn't arrived, but even if she was present, she was too slim. Kurt raised a hand, trying to get her to relax.

"Keep it." To say that Peggy looked taken aback would be a gross understatement. In fact, there was a rather awkward silence wherein she just stared at Kurt, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Eventually, Peggy managed to piece together a response.

"Keep it? Are you sure?" Kurt didn't know what was so shocking about his offer. He thought that he had a firm grasp of American culture by now, but perhaps there was something he'd missed. Then he remembered that Peggy wasn't American. Kurt glanced sideways at Scott to check that he wasn't sending him any warning signals but he was still happily chatting with Jubilee. Relieved that he hadn't offended her, Kurt returned his attention to Peggy.

"If you're going to be training, you'll need the right clothes." He shrugged, then with a shy smile he added, "It looks better on you anyway." Peggy's heart was hammering so hard she knew that with one more adorable smile from him, it would be stretching out of her chest like in a cartoon. She couldn't decide whether she loved or hated just how easily he got her head spinning without even trying. She merely smiled back in response and hoped that he couldn't see how red her face was.

Soon after, Jean came hurrying down the stairs, apologising over and over because she couldn't find her shoes. Scott muttered something about 'her majesty' finally arriving and Jean slapped his shoulder. They walked as a group towards the door to the gym, though one of them dragged her feet. Scott went in first followed by Jubilee, Jean, Kurt and finally Peggy, who took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but this wasn't it. The gym was actually rather underwhelming, it looked similar to any other training room. There were a couple of treadmills by the far wall, a large rectangle of gym mats in the centre, weights in one corner and cycling machines in another. The only thing that set it apart were the rows upon rows of weapons on the east wall. There were fencing foils, clubs, pugil sticks, throwing stars and a few that Peggy couldn't name. It didn't look real, more like something out of a cheesy old Kung Fu movie.

Peggy followed her friends but froze when a figure appeared at the other end of the room. She'd seen Mystique only once, when she first arrived at the school. She unnerved Peggy but she daren't ever say so. Mystique observed everything and everyone from a distance, her expression stoic and unreadable. The last time Peggy saw her, she looked like any other woman. Now, though, she'd revealed her true self. Shimmering blue skin, wide yellow eyes, smooth red hair. She was wearing what Peggy could only assume was her X-Men armour. It suited her well.

All of her fears and anxieties came flooding back. Mystique would be her teacher. Peggy took a step backwards, wondering if anyone would notice if she suddenly legged it towards the door. Jean turned her head when she heard Peggy's mind racing. She hurried across the room to console her whilst Kurt approached Scott, who was busy warming up.

"You gave Peggy my shirt?" He asked, shaking his head. Scott straightened up from his crouching position and took off his glasses, determined to make Kurt wait for an answer just to antagonise him. Although Scott couldn't see him, he sensed that Kurt was not as annoyed as he wanted him to be. He damned his patience as he finished polishing his glasses, making sure they were safely back over his eyes before he replied.

"Yeah, you're welcome." He patted Kurt's shoulder, grinning like he'd just done him the world's biggest favour. For the second time that day, Kurt wondered if perhaps he'd misunderstood.

"What do you..?" He began to ask but Scott raised a hand to stop him. Kurt's confusion only grew when his friend took him by the shoulders. He let Scott turn him around so that they were looking at Peggy. She was talking to Jean by the door to the gym, they were both smiling. As she spoke, she tied a knot in the side of her shirt so that it didn't hang so loose.

Kurt looked between his two friends, his features all scrunched up in bewilderment but Scott said nothing, patiently waiting for the penny to drop. Kurt looked back and forth again and was about to ask what on earth he was supposed to be looking at. Then all of a sudden, his eyes widened. "Oh." Scott didn't have to say a word, he simply smiled and waited for Kurt to finish staring.

Suddenly it all made sense. Maybe it was the way the collar hung low so that her collarbones were exposed when she moved, or perhaps it was the loose fit that alluded to her figure beneath it, or maybe it was simply the fact that it was _his_ shirt that Peggy was wearing, but for some reason, it was the best thing to ever happen to him. "Mein Gott." Kurt breathed, his scarlet eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Beside him, Scott nodded sombrely.

When Peggy mentioned earlier that she didn't have a shirt to wear for their session, the idea had sprung into life like a lightbulb over his head. Scott told her to wait then raced upstairs to Kurt's room which was always unlocked. He grabbed the first T-shirt he saw then brought it back to Peggy who was so grateful, she didn't question his feeble story. Scott knew he was doing Kurt a serious favour and he would definitely be cashing it in at a later date, but for now, he'd simply let Kurt gawk at Peggy from afar and do his best to stop him drooling.

Raven watched the kids interact for a little while, letting them quiet down by themselves. She spotted the new girl instantly. She looked terrified. Kurt stood close by Peggy's side, looking like he wanted to reach out and comfort her but he held himself back. Jean seemed to have calmed her down for now, thank God. Teaching a jumpy student was a struggle. Raven quickly grew bored of waiting for the kids to organise themselves so she cleared her throat and adopted her best teacher voice.

"Jubilee, you and Jean are in the Danger Room." At the sound of their names, the girls both jumped to attention and hurried across the room to another door. They glanced back at Peggy before they left and gave her encouraging smiles. Peggy had no idea what the Danger Room was but it didn't sound fun. Jean had done a good job of calming her down but her nerves still stuck in her throat as she watched Mystique move about the room, just waiting for her turn. "Kurt, fencing." Raven ordered, nodding towards the wall where the foils were kept.

Kurt raised his chin, showing he understood, but he didn't move just yet. He wanted to make sure Peggy didn't bolt for the door as soon as he left. Finally, Raven's burning yellow gaze turned to her. "You're with me." She gestured for Peggy to follow her then turned and walked away. Peggy didn't move. Just as Kurt was about to retrieve the foils he'd been practising with recently, she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Wait." Her voice dropped to an inadvertent whisper, her eyes wide and fearful. Kurt was a little shocked that she had reached for him but he got over it quickly. Her amber eyes followed Raven as she gathered the things they would need for their session. Kurt sighed slightly and began to carefully unpick her fingers from his arm.

"It'll be okay, Peggy." He murmured. She looked up at him and he took a deep breath before slowly taking her hand in his. It was awkward at first as he tried to figure out a way to fit their fingers together comfortably, but he managed it eventually. To his relief, Peggy didn't pull away. In fact, she squeezed his hand in response and her expression relaxed. With his free hand, Kurt pointed over to the far wall where there was space for him to practise his fencing. "I'm right over there." He looked back at Peggy and saw that she was nodding, hanging on his every word. "Mystique is…"

"Terrifying?" She cut in, though she did crack a smile so he knew he was helping a little. Kurt laughed softly, trying valiantly not to think about her lips.

"Formidable." He finished with a meaningful look that made Peggy's smile grow into a grin. Her shoulders slowly relaxed as she drew in a deep breath. Kurt squeezed her hand again. He no longer felt self-conscious about his appearance around her, so he had time to notice how perfectly their hands fit together before he continued. "You're going to be great." He leaned in so that he could whisper words meant only for her. Peggy licked her lips as his face came closer to hers, which she was very glad no one was around to see. "Mut, Peggy." Kurt whispered, giving her a kind smile that displayed his pointed teeth. Peggy couldn't look away from his eyes, so vibrant and emotive in the bright lights of the gym. What did she ever do to deserve a friend like Kurt Wagner? She forced a smile and squeezed his hand one last time.

"Alright." She murmured, her confidence steeled by his kind words. Kurt grinned and reluctantly let go of her hand. Peggy breathed in through her nose, filling her lungs to full capacity, then turned and marched across the room to where Raven was waiting for her. Kurt watched her walk away, smiling to himself when she stopped at the mats and tried to introduce herself. "Good morning, I'm-"

"I know who you are." Raven said bluntly, cutting her off without blinking. Peggy's open mouth shut with a snap. She tried not to glance over at Kurt, just in case Mystique thought she wasn't paying attention and got annoyed with her. "Hank tells me you can camouflage." Peggy was still feeling nervous but she did manage the tiniest of smirks.

"Sometimes." Raven didn't seem to find her funny. She nodded seriously, looking her up down as if appraising her.

"Come with me." She said and Peggy let out the breath she'd been holding.

"Okay." She murmured, more to herself than to her teacher. Raven led her over to a large cabinet, which she opened to reveal shelves full of sparring gear. Peggy felt her uneasiness beginning to spike again but she remembered Kurt's words of encouragement and held her tongue.

"Until you learn to control your powers, you'll need to learn how to fight." Raven said as she dug through the contents of the cupboard.

"Okay."

"You and I are going to train almost every day."

"Okay." Raven passed her a pair gloves then closed the doors again. Peggy was a little confused. The cupboard was practically brimming with headgear, foot and chest guards, and gum shields. All that equipment and she only got a pair of gloves? The lack of protective clothing really didn't help with her nerves.

"It's going to be hard. You're going to hate it. You're probably going to hate me. But soon, you'll be able to take down an attacker twice your size." Raven stated in a low, concise tone that actually went some way to ease Peggy's anxieties. Raven knew what she was doing. She was here to make sure that she didn't get hurt. Peggy slipped on the gloves when Raven gestured for her to do so, pulling the Velcro tight with trembling fingers. When she was done, Raven raised her chin. "Are you ready? And please don't say 'okay' again." Peggy cracked a smile at that but quickly straightened out her expression under Raven's steely gaze.

"I'm ready." She said firmly, squeezing her gloved hands into fists at her sides. Raven nodded again, she seemed to approve.

"Good." Peggy followed her teacher back over to the rubber mats in the centre of the room. They felt soft underfoot but she knew it would still hurt if she fell. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that. Raven positioned her in the centre of the mats. Peggy noticed with some worry that Raven wasn't wearing any gloves herself. "Do you have any previous fighting experience?" Her question made Peggy look up. She shrugged slightly.

"I'm Irish." For the first time since their meeting, she saw Raven smile. Well, it wasn't really a smile. Her blue lips twitched at the corner and she exhaled sharply through her nose, but that was good enough for Peggy.

"You'll have to tell the Professor that one." Raven said, then her expression settled back into solemnity. "Hands up, legs shoulder-width apart. Let's go to work." Peggy did as she was told and raised her hands in front of her, ready to begin. Raven nodded her approval.

Kurt struggled not to watch Peggy work. Perhaps an hour had passed since their training session began. He was still practising with the fencing foils but his heart wasn't in it. How could he possibly concentrate when there was a beautiful girl not ten feet away? And not just any girl, one of his best friends, who was wearing his T-shirt. If that wasn't mind-blowing enough, she was learning to fight and it really shouldn't be, but it really was incredibly hot. Kurt cursed under his breath, shaking his head to rid himself of that last thought. He shouldn't be thinking about Peggy like that.

He sighed deeply and set down his foil. He needed a rest anyway, but he wasn't going to get any practice done with his mind all over the place. Kurt sat down on the floor, his back against the wall. He closed his eyes for a few moments, trying to get his breathing back to normal. His muscles were burning. Before he started his training a little over a year ago, he hadn't felt this way since his time in the circus. It felt good to be active again. He opened his eyes and they immediately found Peggy. Despite every voice in his head telling him not to, he watched her and Raven work with a little smile on his face.

"Sweep the arm aside." Raven was saying as she moved Peggy into the right position. She demonstrated the action and Peggy nodded. Kurt's smile grew when he saw the intense look of concentration on her face. Peggy was a smart girl, she liked to do things properly. He knew she'd be practising everything that Raven taught her in minute detail until she had it absolutely perfect, no matter how long it took. "When it's clear, bring this arm up and straight into the eye."

"Sweep and blind, got it." Peggy committed the movement to memory. She raised her hands and Raven reached forward in a slow, controlled punch to the nose. Peggy swept her arm aside just like she'd been taught then brought her other arm up to point her flat hand near her teacher's eye. Raven nodded.

"Good. Again, faster this time." Peggy's nerves were gone, it appeared. Kurt was proud of her. It took a lot of courage to step into the gym when you didn't know what you would find waiting for you. He'd have to make sure they all congratulated her later. On cue, Jubilee and Jean exited the Danger Room, panting, sweating, smiling. They spotted Kurt on the floor and joined him, Jubilee sliding down the wall to sit beside him whilst Jean remained standing.

"Slacking?" Jubilee asked, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow. Kurt halfheartedly batted her hand away. She smirked and turned to see where he was looking. She wasn't surprised to see it was Peggy who had his attention. "Ah, staring."

"Ogling, more like." Jean put in with a small smile. Jubilee snorted but Kurt only frowned.

"I do not know this word." He looked up at Jean curiously, waiting for her to explain. Instead of replying, she looked over his head at Jubilee and they shared a sly smile. Jubilee leaned back against the wall behind her and let out a long sigh. She was exhausted too. The Danger Room lived up to its name, but between the two of them, she and Jean had destroyed their robotic foes in no time at all.

"Like staring but more..." Jean floundered for want of a better word but thankfully Jubilee was there to help.

"Lecherous." She grinned, giving Kurt another sharp nudge. He barely reacted, only letting out a soft grunt as his muscles smarted. His gaze still followed Peggy as she blocked another of Raven's blows. Her gargantuan memory meant that she had already mastered the techniques she'd been taught, all she had to do was keep her punches strong and concise.

"I'm not sure of this word either but it does not sound good." Jubilee shook her head.

"It's not."

"I was not staring. Or oogling."

" _Ogling_."

"I wasn't doing that either." That made the girls laugh. Scott came over soon after that. He'd just finished his session with Hank and although he had a bit of a headache, he felt quite pleased with himself. Hank's adjustments to his visor meant that his aim had vastly improved. Scott could now hit targets at the other end of the room with impressive accuracy. He had intended on bragging about this to his friends but when he met them by the wall, they were far too engrossed in Peggy's training.

"They go in for the hook, you bring your arm up and protect your head." Raven was saying. Peggy nodded and did as she was told, pulling her right arm up to shield her face from Raven's punch. "Swing your other arm into their ribs." Peggy's amber brown eyes watched her teacher with the utmost care, committing every move she made to memory. "If you prefer, you can aim for their chest with your elbow or slice a hand into their neck. It's good to use a combination of all three to keep the element of surprise." Raven took a step back then raised her fists. "Ready?" Peggy took another deep breath before slowly nodding. Her friends all watched closely, no one said a word.

Raven wasted no time, immediately stepping forward to attack the girl. Peggy managed to duck under the first punch but the right hook she was supposed to be defending herself from came too quickly and Raven punched her square in the jaw. Peggy grunted and stepped back, clutching her face. Raven hadn't hit her hard but it was still a shock. "Eyes up, Murphy." Kurt's mouth fell open. He began to get to his feet, his first instinct was to protect his friend, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was Scott. He shook his head and gently pushed him back down onto the floor.

"Let her do it." He knew Peggy wouldn't want them jumping in to help her. She wouldn't like them to fight her battles for her. Though Kurt's expression betrayed his true feelings, he settled back onto the floor. His eyes never left Peggy, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. Peggy stepped back into position without a second thought, determination furrowing her brow.

Raven waited a moment before striking her again. This time, Peggy managed to block the first hook that came towards her but before she could celebrate, Raven swung her other fist around and caught her just below the eye. This punch was much stronger than the first and it sent Peggy staggering as a string of curses left her mouth. Kurt had never heard anything like it but he was too concerned to comment. Peggy almost lost her balance but caught herself before she fell. She gritted her teeth as she prodded her tender cheek, wincing at the pain that bloomed there.

"Again." Raven barked, not seeming to care that her student was injured. She raised his fists, waiting for Peggy to get back into the stance she had taught her. Kurt laced his fingers together anxiously, his eyes wide and fearful.

"Peggy..." Her jaw was tense as she studied her teacher. Peggy was starting to get frustrated. If she got hit one more time, she was going to lose her patience altogether. She glanced at her friends and saw they were all watching her. Her gaze fell on Kurt. He looked worse than she felt.

"Again." Raven repeated her instruction, her patience equally thin. Seeing her friends rallying together to support her bolstered Peggy's resolve and although she could feel bruises beginning to cloud under her skin, she stepped back into position and raised her fists again. Raven nodded once before she stepped forward and aimed for Peggy's jaw but she blocked her punch. Before she could retaliate, Peggy stepped forward and swung her elbow into her ribs. "Better. Much better." Raven nodded her approval, allowing herself a small smile. Peggy saw this and tried not to show how elated she felt. She was proud of herself and one quick glance towards her friends showed they were too. Kurt gave his equivalent of a double thumbs up and she grinned, mouthing 'thank you'. Peggy didn't have time to celebrate, though. Before she knew it, Raven was guiding her back into position. "Now the legs."

She was allowed a break after another half hour of practice. Peggy flopped down on the ground next to Jubilee and Jean, who were both resting after a session on the running machines. Jubilee passed her a cup of water which Peggy breathlessly thanked her for before she gulped it down. She would never have guessed that enrolling at Xavier's school would lead to this. Learning to fight was exhilarating, gruelling work but worth it.

Her aching lungs and exhausted muscles reminded her of how hard she'd worked today. Although, from the way Raven talked, she had a lot more planned for her before she left the gym. Whilst Jubilee and Jean planned what they were going to do next, Peggy looked around the room for her other friends. Scott was on the other side of the gym, loading up the weightlifting equipment. She watched as he selected an optimistic 48kg, tried lifting it, got up again and slotted the pin into a more realistic 20kg.

She found Kurt on the opposite side of the room to Scott. He was practising his fencing again, something Mystique hoped would soon develop into impressive swordsmanship skills. Peggy watched in fascination as he lunged forward towards a human-shaped target, his movements quick and precise. His front foot was positioned forward, the back perpendicular, facing the same direction as his body. Kurt's back was straight, his face set in concentration. Peggy bit her lip as she watched him move, her mind wandering as she took in the lean, toned shape of his body. He stopped and pushed his dark hair out of his eyes. Peggy's heart somersaulted in her chest when Kurt lifted up the front of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, exposing his chest and stomach.

Jean flinched at the onslaught of carnal images that suddenly careened into her head, roaring like a hundred ambulance sirens all going off at once. She felt her face go red at some of the things she saw and tried her best to shut them out, using the techniques the Professor had taught her. It thankfully did the job, but she didn't think she'd be able to look Kurt in the eye for quite some time. Jean nudged Jubilee and nodded in Peggy's direction. The girls shook their heads as they watched their friend gawk at Kurt, who had no clue of the effect he was having. Jubilee smirked, reached over to take Peggy by the chin and gently turned her head away from Kurt.

"Eyes front, Murphy." She barked, echoing the way Raven had spoken to her earlier. Peggy blushed when she realised that Jean could hear every lewd thought rushing around inside her head and tried to calm herself down for her benefit. She smiled apologetically at her friends who laughed in response. They only quieted down when Raven approached them.

"Jubilee, spar with Peggy." She gestured for them both to stand up. Jubilee eagerly sprang to her feet, she was always happiest when she was active, but Peggy was a little more reluctant. Her unwillingness was mostly due to the fact that she'd _only just sat down_ but Jubilee pulled her to her feet, talking a mile a minute about how exciting it all was. Peggy humoured her, glancing back at Jean and mouthing 'help me'. Jean merely smiled and wiggled her fingers in a little wave. Jubilee dragged her towards the centre of the mats, slipping on the gloves Raven threw to her. She noticed Peggy nervously watching her and raised her hands, bowing her head slightly.

"I'll go easy on you, don't worry." Peggy's jaw fell open, though the corners of her mouth threatened to tug into a smile of her own. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite so nervous. Peggy pulled her sparring gloves back on, that spark of competitiveness restoring all her lost energy.

"Oh, you've done it now." She said in a low voice, making Jubilee laugh. Peggy raised her hands, trying to remember all that she'd learned today. She had a sneaking suspicion that despite her small stature, Jubilee was going to be very good at this. All day, Raven had been teaching her about using her opponent's size against them. Peggy was a good couple of inches taller than Jubilee, so that really didn't bode well for her.

Five minutes later, Peggy thought she ought to check with the Professor and find out if she had any prophesying powers she didn't know about. She'd guessed correctly, Jubilee was very good at fighting. Peggy was on her back, groaning from the impact whilst her supposed friend stood above her, smiling cheerily. She eventually managed to sit up, although she knew it would take a moment to get her breath back. "That was easy?" Peggy gasped, squinting up at Jubilee as her muscles protested. She shrugged, fists still raised.

"I get a little enthusiastic." Peggy thought that was the understatement of the century but she didn't have time to complain. Raven patted her on the back as she walked past, urging her to get to her feet.

"Again." Peggy winced when she patted her a little too hard on an area of her back that was already beginning to bruise. She jumped back on her feet and nodded at Jubilee to indicate that she was ready to go again. Utilising the sweeping techniques Raven had drilled into her, Peggy managed to win the next fight. Her victory lap was short-lived though because Jubilee came back with a vengeance and beat her in their third and final match.

It was almost the end of their session so Jubilee scurried off to the cross trainer to get a few more minutes of exercise in before they called it a day. Peggy, however, could barely feel her legs, so she wobbled over to Kurt who was sitting back down on the floor to the side. He looked up as she approached and gave her a winsome smile. Peggy tried her best to return it but she knew it looked strained. She slumped beside him with a long, deep sigh. She drained another plastic cup of water before speaking.

"You guys do this every day?" Her voice came out all raspy, much to her embarrassment. Kurt rather liked it.

"Most days." Peggy was relieved, she didn't think she could do this much exercise seven days a week. Fighting with Jubilee had just about finished her off, she doubted she'd be able to walk in a straight line. Peggy thanked her lucky stars that she happened to be sitting next to a teleporter. Although, Kurt wasn't her personal taxi service. She'd just have to face all those stairs with grit and determination. Or, she could ask that girl Maria with the wings to fly her up. "In time, it will get easier." Kurt added, bringing her out of her thoughts. Peggy grunted in response. She didn't think this- training, fighting, being in the X-Men- would ever be easy.

"I'll be black and blue tomorrow." She muttered, rubbing her jaw. It was still aching from Raven's blows. Kurt chuckled softly at that. He glanced sideways at his friends to make sure they were out of earshot before he spoke again.

"Blue's a good colour on you." His words were so soft, she almost didn't catch them. Peggy looked round to see he was looking down at his hands, a little smile on his face. Was he… Was he flirting with her?

"You know how to fence?" She asked, quickly changing the subject before her face could get any redder. Kurt smiled to himself, feeling quite pleased that he'd managed to get her flustered.

"I'm learning." He was quite good, if he was being honest. He liked the art and skill of the sport. For once, his tail wasn't a hindrance and actually helped him keep his balance. He rather liked the idea of being a proper swordsman one day, but he'd have to master the footwork first. Peggy leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She was finally starting to relax. All the tension seeped from her body, leaving her with a strangely euphoric feeling. She supposed she might feel like this all the time if she exercised more but if she was being honest with herself, it really wasn't worth it.

"You'll have to teach me a thing or two." She murmured, just to keep their conversation going. She liked hearing Kurt talk, it always helped her to relax. She would do anything just to hear him speak.

"How about now?" Kurt pretended to be excited by the idea. He knew Peggy was exhausted, it would be funny to see her try and talk him out of it, but Peggy guessed that he was only teasing without even opening her eyes.

"I might collapse on you." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully. Then with a slight smirk, she added, "Again." Peggy still felt ashamed of the way she had almost fainted during her first session with Hank. She could still feel Kurt's arms around her if she thought about it, and she thought about it a lot.

"There are worse things." Peggy opened her eyes finally and turned her head to see that he was studying her closely. She couldn't be imagining it, that was definitely flirting. His eyes flicked up to meet hers and Peggy felt a slow smile spread across her face. Kurt tried not to look at her lips but they were infuriatingly distracting. Thankfully, Peggy looked away before he did anything stupid like think about kissing her again.

"I think I better stick to self-defence for now." She said firmly, although she did thank him for his offer, joke or not. Raven came over soon after that to congratulate Peggy in her own way for completing her first training session. Peggy couldn't help but think she'd worked hard enough to receive more than a curt nod and a simple 'well done' but there was no way she would ever say that to Mystique, who still terrified her more than anything.

The group of students left soon after that. They were all worn out but what little adrenaline was left shooting through their bodies had them smiling and laughing as they made their way to the common room. Peggy stumbled at one point, hissing in pain as her weak legs gave way underneath her. Of course, Kurt rushed to her side immediately.

"Are you alright?" He asked whilst his friends all rolled their eyes. Kurt was acting like she'd broken her leg. They supposed it was sweet to see him care so much about Peggy but they weren't going to stop teasing him about it anytime soon. Peggy grunted as she kneaded her calf.

"I think Jubilee kicked me a little too 'enthusiastically'." She muttered, shooting the girl in question a dark look.

"What? I come to win." Jubilee shrugged innocently whilst her friends all laughed. They finally arrived in the common room and were immediately comforted by the warm glow of the fireplace. The common room was vast. The walls were a deep burgundy colour with matching curtains and furniture. The floors were wooden and creaked underfoot. Many kids speculated that the room was so large because it used to be a ballroom before the mansion was converted into a school. Peggy didn't really care about what it used to be. There was always a seat free and a roaring fire, she couldn't ask for more.

Although there were at least twenty or so kids lolling about, the common room could still be considered empty. It didn't take long for them to find a couple of sofas in the corner, away from the noise of the younger students. Though Jubilee still found Peggy staggering about rather amusing, her conscience nagged at her. She watched her friend flop down onto one of the sofas, her arms stretched over one end, her long legs propped up against the other. Peggy closed her eyes and mumbled something about 'the worst pain imaginable' and she finally caved. "If I get you a soda, no hard feelings?" Jubilee quirked an eyebrow at her friend, who stopping griping and grinned up at her from the sofa.

"Deal." Jubilee rolled her eyes and bounced off to the adjoining kitchen. Kurt followed in her footsteps, always willing to help others without them having to ask. Peggy watched him leave before she closed her eyes again. It felt like her body was melting into the sofa. She was so cosy, she didn't even open her eyes when Scott spoke to her.

"You did well today." Peggy thought that was kind of him even if she didn't think it was strictly true. She stretched her arms above her head like a cat in front of the fire, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Not from where I'm sitting." Although she'd learned a lot today, Peggy was battered, bruised and dog-tired. She hadn't expected much else but she didn't think she deserved to be congratulated when she hadn't done all that much. Jubilee and Jean had fought robots, for crying out loud.

"It'll get easier." Peggy raised her eyebrows, that wasn't the first time she'd heard that today.

"That's what Kurt said." She finally opened her eyes, her gaze travelling over the intricate ceiling above them. Gold and white patterns arced around what probably used to be a chandelier fitting. The décor suited the rest of the ornate mansion but its students, not so much. Peggy chewed her lip, wondering whether she could ask what she wanted without getting mercilessly teased. "Does he..." She lost confidence quickly. Peggy tried to make her mind go blank, just in case Jean could hear the end of her question still circling inside her head. Unfortunately, she'd captured Scott's attention.

"What?" Peggy glanced his way and saw that he was looking at her with curiosity. Damn. Peggy waved a dismissive hand even though it hurt to do so.

"Forget I said anything." She hoped he wouldn't pursue it. When she saw Scott smirk, she realised she could never be so lucky.

"Yeah, he talks about you." Scott didn't have to be a mind reader to know what she was going to ask. If the way that she and Kurt acted around each other wasn't enough, the embarrassed look on Peggy's face was a big clue. "A lot." He sat back in his seat, reclining as far as the sofa would allow with the biggest, smuggest grin on his face. "Like, _a_ _lot_." He glanced towards the kitchen door to make sure that their other friends were out of earshot before he continued. "Peggy is _so_ smart. Peggy said the _funniest_ thing the other day. Peggy is _so_ amazing." He mimicked Kurt. Jean shook her head in despair but she couldn't hold back a smile. If Kurt wasn't talking about the latest song he was obsessed with, he was talking about Peggy. Her face was almost as red as the walls.

"And I thought I was good at impressions." She cleared her throat and attempted to play it cool, determined not to show how pleased she was that Kurt thought about her as much as she thought about him. "I should hope you all like me a lot otherwise this is a bit awkward." She closed her eyes again, but her friends easily saw through her façade. Jean and Scott exchanged knowing looks and silently decided to make one last attempt.

"You'd be saving us a lot of earache if you made a move." Scott said after a beat. Peggy suddenly sighed deeply, clearly exasperated, and sat up in her seat.

"Make a move." She scoffed. "Kurt is my friend. I don't-" She was suddenly interrupted by a loud **BAMF** and Kurt emerged from a billowing cloud of blue smoke right in front of her. His sudden appearance made her jump and thankfully she cut off her own sentence before he heard her say anything embarrassing. Kurt was grinning, he didn't notice that he'd interrupted anything.

"Komm schon, nachtigall! Make room!" He said brightly. Peggy quickly got over the shock of his sudden arrival and scooted down the sofa, crossing her legs to make room for him. She smiled a little when she realised what he'd said.

"Nachtigall?" She repeated as Kurt flopped down onto the sofa beside her. He impatiently tore open his enormous bag of crisps, eager to replenish all the energy he spent in his training session. Peggy watched him stuff a handful of whatever it was he'd snaffled from the kitchen into his mouth, marvelling at the unstoppable power behind the stomach of the teenage boy. Jubilee came through the kitchen door, arms laden with soda cans and even more bags of food. She dumped her findings on the coffee table that sat in the middle of their congregation, passing Peggy a can of Coke by way of an apology for 'beating her so spectacularly'.

"Ja, it could be your code name!" Kurt went on, offering Peggy some crisps which she graciously declined in favour of a muffin Jean threw her way.

"Codename, eh?" The premise sounded a little ridiculous if she was honest, but she could never say anything to dishearten Kurt. He nodded excitedly and she found herself smiling at his enthusiasm.

"Once you join the X-Men, you get a name." He sat up and gestured to his friends on the sofa opposite them. "Meet Cyclops and Phoenix." He said, as if introducing them for the first time. Jean and Scott both gave her a little wave, their mouths too filled with junk food to attempt a response. Peggy raised her eyebrows at Jubilee, who had yet to say anything since she'd sat down.

"What about you?" Peggy would have to learn all she could about this obscure, wonderful team if she was ever going to be a part of it.

"Well, Jubilee is a nickname and a codename." She shrugged, reminding Peggy of the day they met. She was just leaving her English class when this brightly coloured person stepped in front of her. She introduced herself as Jubilation Lee, talking a mile a minute about how great it was to meet her and how exciting it was to have a new student. Peggy was slightly stunned by her sudden appearance but she was pleased to make a new friend.

Little did she know that the only reason Jubilee had introduced herself with such vivacity was because she wanted to scope out the girl Kurt was so enamoured with. Jubilee quickly decided that she was worthy, so she invited Peggy to have lunch with her and her friends. The rest was history. Peggy thought about that day a lot, thanking her lucky stars that Jubilee had introduced her to this new life. She looked down at her hands, trying not to get too maudlin in front of her friends.

"What about you? Do you have a code name?" She asked, reaching out one leg and nudging Kurt's hip. The sofa they shared was large and deep, two more kids could easily seat themselves between them with relative comfort. Peggy leaned back against the armrest, Kurt against the other, his long legs taking up most of the sofa. He grinned at her question.

"Ich bin die erstaunliche, fantastisch Nightcrawler." He declared grandly, sweeping a hand over his body. Peggy followed his gesture, her eyes trailing from his exposed neck right down to his feet which hung off the end of the sofa beside her. She supposed he was trying to be impressive and it was working, much to her chagrin. She uncrossed her legs and poked him in the side with her toe again.

"It's good to know your powers haven't gone to your head." She muttered. Kurt caught her foot before she could pull back again and used it to yank her closer. It didn't hurt but she let out a yelp of surprise, very pleased to find herself closer to him. Kurt smirked at her and she felt her face beginning to heat up again.

"Staying humble is very important to me, nachtigall." He nodded solemnly and to his delight, she laughed brightly.

"What's nachtigall?" Scott asked suddenly, interrupting the moment they shared. Kurt let go of her ankle, smiling sheepishly down at the couch cushions which were suddenly impossibly interesting. He waited for Peggy to scoot back down the sofa now that she was free and their friends were most definitely watching them, but she didn't. He looked up when she spoke, surprised and pleased that she was still so close.

"Nightingale." Peggy translated for her friends. Kurt let his gaze wander across her face whilst her attention was diverted. He travelled across her jaw then down her neck, taking in all that he could while no one was watching him. Scott made a noncommittal grunt.

"Nah, that's not it." He shook his head thoughtfully. He supposed the nickname suited her but they could do better than that. Peggy didn't mind, she didn't think she even deserved a code name after only one session. Beside her, Kurt hummed to himself and she looked back at him. He was smiling slightly, one corner of his mouth only just higher than the other. She could only see it because they were so close, no one else could have. It was like a secret they shared, a smile meant only for her.

"Then that can be my name for you." Kurt decided in a soft voice. His words made her breathing hitch ever so slightly, but she didn't think anyone would notice apart from him. Peggy couldn't decide whether to look at his lips or his eyes, both were equally captivating. His smile grew fractionally and she realised she was staring. Then she felt something inside her head. It was familiar but still indescribable. Not something, someone.

 _"Jean..."_

 _"Sorry."_

Peggy looked over at her friend and saw that her grin was anything but apologetic. She refrained from rolling her eyes, everyone would want to know why and then she'd be stuck in a tangle of lies just so that her friends didn't discover that she'd been thinking about how awesome it would be to kiss Kurt, like, right now. Determined to change the subject and get the attention away from her, Peggy looked back at Kurt and raised her eyebrows.

"And what should I call you?" She asked, to which Kurt chuckled. He leaned back against the arm of the sofa again, his tail coming to rest by his side where it waved leisurely from time to time.

"I believe the English words are 'extremely handsome'." Peggy let out a loud laugh, surprised that he would so openly flirt with her. She thought about humouring him but decided it would be more fun to tease him instead.

"How about 'dummkopf'?" She reached forward and ruffled his dark hair, making it stick up in all sorts of directions. Kurt grumbled to himself as he set about flattening it again.

"Your words hurt, nachtigall." He muttered once he'd gotten his hair back to the way he liked it.

" _All_ of me hurts." Peggy scoffed, shooting Jubilee a look for emphasis. She sighed in exasperation and dismissed her with an airy wave of her hand.

"I said I was sorry."

"Actually, no. I don't think you did." This argument went on for several minutes until Scott finally got bored and threw a pillow at Jubilee. She gasped dramatically, hardly believing that her friend would betray her. Then she threw the pillow back and all was forgiven.

They stayed in the common room until afternoon turned to evening, laughing and joking in the afterglow of a hard day's work. At one point, while Peggy was busy organising a rematch with Jubilee, she felt something touch her foot and was surprised to find the spaded tip of Kurt's tail resting there. When she looked up at him, he was watching her carefully. Without words, he asked if she was alright with it, glancing down at his tail then back at her with his brow furrowed. In lieu of a reply, she smiled and stretched out on the sofa so that their legs were all tangled together. Kurt couldn't suppress his grin if he tried, though he did try to hide it from his friends. They stayed in that position until they were called to dinner, Kurt's tail still wrapped comfortably around Peggy's ankle, their smiles lighting up their faces in the dark room.

* * *

1\. Courage

2\. Come on

3\. Amazing, fantastic.


	5. Chapter 5

Peggy remembered her first session with Hank McCoy vividly, especially the way the wires attached to her skin itched relentlessly. She'd thought that over time she would get used to it and all the other distractions in the lab. But no, the metronome-like beeping of machinery, the stark white lights overhead, and the wires sprouting from her face all still made it very difficult to concentrate. Somehow, Peggy miraculously managed to ignore all the noise and complete the tasks Hank set for her.

Since her first session, she'd noticed her powers growing stronger. Some things were more obvious than others. Although she already had a firm grasp of her mimicking mutation, Hank had given her homework. He wanted her to try and learn at least five new sounds and practice using them for an hour every day. Because of this, her already enormous memory had expanded and the quality of her imitations had improved as well.

Now she was standing in front of a blank screen, waiting for Hank to give her the signal. He was seated at his little computer again, which she still wouldn't touch with a barge pole. When he raised a hand, Peggy closed her eyes and focused on the other part of her mutation. She didn't have to concentrate all that hard these days. The familiar sensation, like warm waves washing over her skin, came with relative ease. When she opened her eyes, she glanced back at the screen in her peripheral vision. Hank had set up a series of pictures, almost like a View Master, and her task was to camouflage with each one.

The first slide was easy, a solid dark green colour. Without looking down, she knew that she had transformed. Although her clothes couldn't change with her, Peggy's skin had turned the same exact shade of green as the screen behind her and she had essentially disappeared. Hank nodded and typed something into the computer, then he changed the slide. Next was a brick wall, time-worn and coated in grime. She camouflaged with relative ease, even adapting so that the brilliant red graffiti was scrawled across her skin. This continued for several minutes: a different picture, Peggy focused, and she was camouflaged with the scene behind her. She no longer felt faint every time she changed. In fact, she could disappear pretty much on command. It still took a few moments to gather her thoughts and concentrate, but it was an improvement on past performances. When Hank ran out of slides, he smiled to himself and turned off the computer.

"Very good." Peggy cleared her mind and shimmered into existence again. She noted with some small degree of pride that she didn't have a headache like she often did after using her powers. She was getting stronger. "A vast improvement on last time." Hank said, reaffirming her thoughts. Peggy grinned, feeling mightily pleased with herself. She kept as still as possible while Hank removed the wires from her skin, partly for his benefit but mostly because she didn't want to electrocute herself. When he was done, Hank studied her closely. "You feeling okay?" He asked, just to make sure. Peggy was a lot stronger than she used to be but that didn't mean she couldn't overexert herself. Kurt often accompanied Peggy to her sessions, despite him not having anything to do. Hank never had the heart to ask him to leave, and anyway, he helped Peggy relax. Kurt was always close by just in case she fainted and needed someone to catch her, but that hadn't happened for a few weeks now. The only reason he wasn't there now was because he had a class.

"I feel bloody brilliant." She responded enthusiastically. Hank raised his eyebrows and Peggy realised what she'd said. "Sorry, that's-" She tried to backtrack but Hank raised a hand before she could get any further.

"You're fine." He chuckled. Peggy often forgot that Hank was a teacher. He was only a few years older than her and she worked with him a lot. Calling him 'Hank' had seemed strange at first, obviously she'd gotten over the awkwardness of informalities. "How's your training with Raven going?" He asked, returning his attention to the little computer when it began to spit out sheet after sheet of data, all collected from Peggy. She sat down opposite Hank at the workbench, eyeing the little machine warily.

"Very well." Peggy said happily. Then as an afterthought, she added, "I think." Hank smiled at that. Peggy leaned forward in her seat, trying to peek at the information he was getting. She couldn't understand any of it but she couldn't help being curious. Hank looked up and she sat back in her seat again, smiling innocently. "I beat up Scott the other day so…" She went on, pretending that she hadn't been prying. Hank didn't buy it for a second but he didn't call her out on it.

"I bet he was pleased about that." He muttered, returning his attention to his work. Peggy stretched out her arms in front of her then crossed them on the counter, propping up her chin on top.

"He'll get over it." She shrugged, making Hank smile again. He hummed to himself as he stacked the sheets of paper then slipped a paperclip over the corner to keep them together. Hank asked if she wanted to take a look but Peggy politely declined. She was too tired to read it all, she wouldn't be able to understand any of it anyway.

"Well, everything checks out fine." Hank slid the data into a thick Manila folder with Peggy's name printed on the front. He got up from his seat and walked over to a tall filing cabinet. He selected the drawer marked K-O then slotted Murphy, Peggy in between Munch, Fleur and Myall, Stan. The room was quiet now that he'd switched off the machine so Peggy closed her eyes for a moment to help clear her head. She heard Hank whistling to himself as he cleared up his workspace. She recognised the tune, 'New Moon on Monday'. She whistled the end of the chorus perfectly and she could tell Hank was smiling without opening her eyes. People always got a kick out of her mutation, and she could admit that she enjoyed using it.

She heard Hank sit down again and opened her eyes. He had the small, black book he always carried out in front of him. She watched him as he found a particular page with a list of names scrawled down the side. He put a tick next to hers. It must be a list of all the other students being assessed today, Peggy decided. Hank was a busy man. He flipped through a couple more pages before he finally spoke again. "You'll officially be a part of the X-Men soon." Peggy raised her head and gawped at the man.

"What? Really?" She asked, her excitement making her question come out in an excited squeak. A month had passed since she'd first heard the news about her future at Xavier's school. Her training was going well, her mutation was almost completely under control. Somehow it still felt too soon, too good to be true. "When?"

"Well, I'll have to talk to Raven about your training," Hank reminded her, not wanting to raise her hopes just in case Raven didn't think she was ready yet. "But if she gives you the go-ahead, you'll be suiting up immediately." Peggy sat back in her seat, her eyes still wide with shock. She let out a low whistle.

"Bloody hell." She muttered. Then she baulked and began to apologise for her language again but Hank raised a hand before she could say a word.

"You're fine." He said again, chuckling at her expression. Hank jabbed a thumb over his shoulder and said, "I actually have your armour ready." Peggy's eyes were like saucers.

"Really?" She asked with thinly-veiled excitement. She'd forgotten about that. Peggy had only seen a glimpse of Scott's suit whilst he was training, Jubilee and Jean had worn theirs the first time they accompanied Peggy in the Danger Room. She had yet to see Kurt's which she was rather glad about because she honestly didn't think she would be able to take that much excitement in one sitting. "Can I see?" Hank smirked. Students always loved seeing their armour for the first time, he knew it made them feel like superheroes. Hank gestured for her to follow him and Peggy eagerly jumped out of her seat. She tried to quell some of her eagerness as Hank led her through to a connecting room.

The room was pitch black until he flicked a switch and they were engulfed in an almost blinding white light. Peggy hissed and shielded her eyes whilst Hank apologised for not warning her. When the spots in her vision finally cleared, Peggy saw that the small room was bare apart from a long, black storage unit that lined all four walls. It was separated into compartments so that it looked like a block of school lockers. When Peggy looked closer, she saw that most of the compartments had names written on them. Cyclops, Phoenix, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Mystique, these she recognised. Quicksilver, Beast, Storm were amongst the few she didn't. Peggy quickly worked out that one of them belonged to Ororo, the other must have been Peter's. She had yet to meet him but her friends talked about him so much that she felt as if she already knew him. With a grin, she realised that Beast must be Hank's code name.

Hank led her over to the far end of the lockers. This one didn't have a name on it. He typed a long string of numbers into a keypad by the side of the locker. After a few short beeps, the door slid open. He stepped back so she could see inside and Peggy eagerly took his place. Inside was a suit of armour, very similar to the kind her friends wore. It looked lightweight yet strong, and it gleamed under the bright lights. "Woah." She breathed and Hank smiled to himself. He was glad that she liked it, it had taken a lot of hard work to complete.

"As you know, each of the X-Men's suits is modified to accommodate their individual mutation." He began as Peggy reached forward and hesitantly took the sleeve between her fingers. "I struggled at first with your camouflaging. It took a while but I eventually found the right formula and the perfect material." Peggy nodded, hanging on his every word. She felt the material and marvelled at how soft it was, almost like water between her fingers. "Your suit should disappear as you do." Peggy raised her eyebrows. That was certainly impressive. She focused her mutation, concentrating on her hand in particular which still held the sleeve of her suit. _Her_ suit. Peggy grinned. Her hand disappeared and so did her uniform. Peggy let out a surprised but pleased cry and dropped the sleeve. As soon as she let go, her armour shimmered into existence again. "There's actually a girl who wants to join the team when she's older." Hank said, finally stealing Peggy's attention back. "Her mutation allows her to turn invisible and now that I've cracked the formula for your suit, I can start figuring out hers."

"That's… That's grand." Peggy was lost for words. Looking at where she was and where she started, it was all too good to be true, like a dream she was frightened she might soon wake up from. A shrill bell rang before she could think of an adequate response. Peggy jumped back from the lockers but soon realised it was the school bell. She let out a whoosh of air, hoping to calm her thudding heart then suddenly her eyes flew wide and she was panicking again. "Oh, I've got a lesson." She realised. "Thanks, Hank. This is…" She looked back at her armour and found that words failed to describe how pleased she was. "This is incredible." She said finally, shaking her head in disbelief.

Before she left the lab, Hank wrote her a note so that Professor Nnebuogor wouldn't give her a detention if she happened to be late. Peggy thanked him again before she hurried out of the door. She charged towards the stairs where her English lesson would be taking place on the fourth floor. On her way up the winding staircase, she spotted a familiar yellow jacket amongst the sea of people. "Jubilee!" She called out and her friend immediately stopped in the middle of the flurry of people around her. Peggy quickly navigated the stampede of students, getting squashed every which way whilst Jubilee patiently waited. "Hey!" She greeted once she made it to her side. Jubilee was equally pleased to see her.

"Hey, how'd your tests go?" She asked as they began to scale the stairs again. Peggy told her all about her hour-long session with Hank, leaving out any arbitrary details that would get in the way of a good story. Jubilee listened carefully and congratulated her on the big steps she'd made whilst Peggy blushed and brushed her off, her modesty speaking far louder than her ego. Then she remembered the most exciting and important detail of her session.

"Hank said I can join the team as soon as Raven says I'm ready." She told Jubilee, trying to reign in her excitement and play it cool. But Jubilee didn't hold back at all. She gasped loudly then let out a joyous squeak of excitement.

"That's amazing, Peggy!" She said, taking her friend by the shoulders and squeezing her tight. Peggy laughed at her enthusiasm and thanked her as they continued to climb the stairs.

"And I saw my suit, my armour."

"How'd it look?"

"So amazing, I love it. I can't believe this is actually my life."

"Kurt is going to love it."

"What?" Peggy yelped. She was so surprised that she miscounted how many steps were left. Her foot fell down through the air and for one sickly moment, she thought she might fall. She managed to catch herself just in time but Jubilee's words, uttered so brazenly amongst the crowds of students around them, made her heart thud long after the shock had worn off. Jubilee stifled a snort as she watched Peggy right herself and continue walking as if nothing had happened.

"You. In your suit." She reiterated, a sly smile on her lips. She was playing innocent, but Jubilee knew exactly what she was doing. "Kurt's probably gonna faint." She added, then giggled at the thought. Peggy paused on the landing of the third floor. They still had a few minutes before their lesson started so she didn't have to worry about being late.

"What're you talking about?" She asked, although she knew it would probably be best if she didn't. From the way Jubilee was looking at her, it couldn't be good.

"I'm just saying, you know, you're gonna look like a badass." Jubilee shrugged as if it was obvious, hitching her school bag up onto her shoulder as she did so. "And badasses tend to look really hot."

"What? No…" Peggy protested, though her voice trailed off towards the end of her sentence, giving away her crumbling resolve. She could feel her heart starting to flutter at the thought of Kurt thinking she was good-looking. Maybe Jubilee was right, there was just something about those suits. She already thought he was gorgeous, she feared her infatuation would only worsen at the sight of him in his armour. If it was anything like others', he would look ridiculously attractive.

"Trust me, Kurt is gonna flip when he sees." Jubilee grinned.

"When I see what?" The sudden new voice stopped Peggy's argument on her tongue. The girls spun around and found Kurt standing there with an innocent smile. He'd appeared so suddenly, she would've thought he'd teleported in if it weren't for the lack of blue smoke. Peggy blanched when she realised he must have overheard their conversation.

"Kurt!" She squeaked. She took a stunned step backwards and stumbled when she almost fell down the stairs. Luckily, Jubilee put her arm out and pulled her back before she could fall. Kurt looked quite alarmed but Peggy began to explain herself before he could ask if she was alright. "We were just talking about the new Indiana Jones film." She lied quickly, her face starting to heat up. She hated lying, especially to Kurt, but sometimes her conscience was worth sacrificing for the sake of her pride. And anyway, it was a just a little white lie. Beside her, Jubilee was giving her this smarmy smile that made Peggy regret ever opening her mouth but she kept her resolve. "The special effects are incredible apparently." She mumbled sheepishly. Either Kurt was feeling charitable or he was completely oblivious to her barefaced lie.

"You haven't seen it yet?" Kurt hadn't seen the film either. He'd wanted to go with his friends but he had too much studying to do. Then he remembered that the night they went to see 'Temple of Doom' was the night he spent with Peggy at her first session with Hank McCoy. Kurt's smiled to himself. _Totally worth it._

"No, not yet. But I'd love to." Peggy replied, eagerly continuing the change of subject. She hoped that her embarrassing little squeak would be forgotten, not least her almost falling down the stairs like a complete moron. Jubilee suddenly gasped and Peggy felt her heart drop in her chest. This couldn't be good.

"You guys should go together!" Jubilee suggested, her expression alight with excitement. Peggy's head snapped up and she gawked at her friend.

"What?"

"That's a great idea!" Kurt exclaimed, nodding his head enthusiastically. He looked to Peggy and gave her that earnest, sweet smile that she dreaded because it meant that she was about to agree with whatever he said. "When are you free?" Peggy's mouth was still agape so she closed it with a snap. She glanced at Jubilee who gave her a sly wink and she felt her face start to heat up all over again. Kurt was still patiently waiting for an answer, that soft smile still in place. Peggy reached up and held onto the strap of her schoolbag, squeezing it tight as she replied.

"Uh, well, I've got a lot of studying to do this week." She said, which was true. She had a list of tests coming up as long as her arm. Or rather, Kurt's tail. _Oh, God, don't think about his tail!_ Peggy tried to fight the blush she could feel threatening to cross her cheeks as she continued. "But Saturday, I'm free as a bird." Jubilee rolled her eyes at her friend's lame choice of words. Peggy noticed this and squeezed the strap of her bag tighter until her fingertips turned pale. How she wished she could just camouflage and make a run for the door. She liked Kurt, _really_ liked him, but she couldn't think of a more awkward way to respond to him asking her out. Wait, was he asking her out? Peggy studied her friend closely, watching for any giveaways that might reveal his intentions. But Kurt only smiled widely and nodded, committing the date to memory.

"Okay. Saturday, we will go to the movies." He confirmed, and his smile grew wider. Peggy returned it but she was so embarrassed about the whole thing, she just wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. "Cool." Kurt added with a firm nod. It was a word Scott had taught him, Americans used it often to describe something good. This made Peggy's smile a little more authentic. God, he was cute.

"Cool." She repeated, nodding her head slightly to mimic him. Now that her embarrassment had cleared, she could enjoy being in his company. Peggy hadn't seen Kurt since that morning and although only a couple of hours had passed since then, it felt like much longer. He looked nice today in his red and white jersey. The colours suited him and the open collar exposed his neck and collarbones. Peggy tried not to let her gaze linger but it was getting more and more difficult.

Suddenly, the second bell rang and the students of Xavier's school simultaneously began to move faster. Kurt grinned one last time and said his goodbyes before disappearing in a cloud of blue smoke. Peggy stared at the space he had just vacated with a stunned look on her face. She had a date. A date with Kurt. A date at the cinema with Kurt. It was hard to take in. Beside her, Jubilee noticed her dumbstruck expression and tugged on her sleeve, trying to recapture her attention. They still had one more flight of stairs to climb and if they didn't get a wriggle on, they were going to be late after all.

Peggy stared at the space he had just vacated with a stunned look on her face. She had a date. A date with Kurt. A date at the cinema with Kurt. It was hard to take in. Beside her, Jubilee noticed her dumbstruck expression and tugged on her sleeve, trying to recapture her attention. They still had one more flight of stairs to climb and if they didn't get a wriggle on, they were going to be late after all.

"You owe me big time." Jubilee laughed as she pulled her friend to the stairs. But Peggy didn't see it that way.

"I am going to kill you." Jubilee laughed again and hurried up the steps, keeping her distance just in case Peggy intended on sticking to her words.

"Peggy and Kurt sitting in a tree!" She sang, loud enough for the whole school to hear.

"You are so dead!"

* * *

Peggy thought of nothing else the whole day. English, History, PE, it all passed in a blur. Although she'd been semi-corralled into it, she was having a hard time keeping a lid on her excitement. Every time she dared think about Kurt or their plans for this Saturday, a spark ignited in her chest and she had to take a deep, calming breath to extinguish it. She was still thinking about it at dinner, which was extremely risky because Kurt was sitting beside her and the majority of her concentration was on remembering to breathe.

The dining hall was still fairly full. Some kids wolfed down their meals so they had more free time in the evenings but Jean, Kurt, Jubilee, Scott and Peggy liked to take it slow. They were all each other needed to have a good time. That and it was raining torrentially so sneaking out was a no-go. All were present at the table apart from Scott but dinner had only started a few minutes ago so they weren't worried just yet. He came scurrying in a few minutes later. Jean pointed him out and they all watched him zoom across the cafeteria to grab his dinner before they closed up shop at speeds that could rival Peter. He joined their group at a much lower velocity, flopping down into his seat with a whoosh of air.

"Guys, I saw the Professor in the hallway." He said in lieu of a greeting. All but Peggy leaned in closer to hear the news. "We're leaving soon after dinner." Scott announced before raising his knife and fork and diving into his dinner.

"What? Why?" Jubilee asked, her bunches bouncing around her shoulders as she shook her head. Scott slurped a long green bean into his mouth and finished chewing before he explained, which they were all grateful for.

"He said that he's discovered this mutant with an "evil plot"." He elucidated, then began to attack his chicken ravenously. Jean smiled down at her plate, unable to watch Scott eat for fear of being put off her own food.

"The air quotes kinda negate the severity of the situation if I'm honest, Scott." She said with eyebrows raised. Scott paused in the middle of chewing to consider her words. Then he shrugged, made a noncommittal grunt and continued eating. Peggy realised they were discussing a mission. So this was how it happened? A completely normal day and then the Professor stops you in the hallway and tells you to suit up? She didn't know how she thought it would take place but this seemed far too relaxed, too unpredictable. But then, she supposed, being a part of the X-Men would never be considered a predictable life.

"So you guys just up and… Go save the world?" Peggy asked, waving her fork in the air. Scott smiled at her question.

"You could say that." He replied as he took a sip of his drink. Jean scoffed and elbowed him in the side, making him choke on his soda. Scott tried to clean himself up while his friends all laughed, a deep scowl on his face.

"It'll be you soon." Jubilee said to Peggy once their laughter had died down. Peggy was confused at first, she thought she meant she too would choke on her drink. Then she realised Jubilee meant she would soon be joining them on missions and she felt a little stupid. Her friends all looked between her and Jubilee curiously, apart from Jean who wore a knowing smile. Either Jubilee had already told her or she'd read her mind. Peggy smiled down at the table, using her fork to kick a stray pea around her plate.

"Hank said I'll be joining you. Soon." She told them, feeling quite embarrassed by all the attention she was getting. The reaction was instantaneous. Her friends all whooped and clapped and cheered, somehow making enough noise between the four of them to make the whole cafeteria look around interestedly. Peggy's face was bright red as she tried to shut them up, but she was laughing all the while. She was so lucky to have such a supportive albeit rowdy bunch of friends.

They congratulated her and began to tell her about all their past missions. There were many stories she hadn't heard before, some terrifying, some hilarious, but mostly they sounded exciting. Peggy listened intently, she wanted to be prepared for every eventuality on her first mission. She still had a while to go yet before she joined her friends in their armour, but she didn't have the heart to tell them when they were all being so sweet and supportive.

As their meal drew to a close, Scott was in the middle of retelling a particularly explosive story that sounded frightening to Peggy but the others all remembered it fondly. At one point, Kurt leaned over to speak close to her ear. His forearm touched hers and Peggy looked around only to find his face inches from hers. She knew she should have moved backwards, but his eyes were so entrancing and his lips were so close, her brain melted into a puddle. Kurt didn't seem to notice their proximity, either that or he was very good at pretending he didn't, much better than her anyway. He gave her a warm smile and Peggy almost pulled a muscle trying not to look down at his lips.

"Das ist unglaublich, Peggy." He murmured with a little nod that set her heart spinning. Peggy had to look away but she couldn't hold back a smile. Kurt felt very proud of himself when he realised she was blushing. She leaned over so that her arm bumped against his then took a deep breath before looking back up at him.

"Danke, Kurt." She replied in a soft voice. He loved it when she spoke German, there was something so intimate about it. Only they could understand each other, it was like a secret they shared. It was also incredibly attractive and always made his heart pound a little harder. Peggy gave him another bright smile before she returned her attention to Scott's story.

He noticed that while her focus was on her friends, she hadn't moved away. Her forearm still touched his and when she let out a quiet contented sigh, she sank lower in her seat and leaned against him. It was only the slightest of touches but it made Kurt grin. Peggy noticed his ecstatic expression and leaned against him a little more. They stayed that way throughout dinner. The only one who noticed was Jean and that was only because their thoughts were so loud, they may as well have stood on the table and shouted that they had a crush on each other through megaphones.

The group finished their meal then went their separate ways. It was getting late and the X-Men needed to prepare to leave. Jubilee walked with her most of the way, but Peggy wandered back to her room on the top floor alone, her friends all lived nearer the ground floor. She finished up some outstanding homework and remained at her desk to do a little revision. She had a test on Wednesday, French, and although she wouldn't have to do that much studying because of her mutation, she wanted to at least try otherwise it felt like cheating. She finished up then showered.

Peggy had just pulled a T-shirt over her head when there was a knock at the door. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and saw that it was almost quarter past five. Everyone she knew was either on an X-Men mission or busy doing homework. Who could it be? After making sure that she was properly dressed, Peggy went to answer the door. To her surprise, she found Kurt standing there.

"Hallo." He said, giving her a little wave. Peggy smiled subconsciously, it was just a natural reaction to seeing him.

"Hey." She looked him up and down. He was still in his civvies, that same red jersey as earlier. Although it was good to see her favourite neck and collarbone duo again, she couldn't understand why he wasn't wearing his armour. Shouldn't he have left already? Scott said they were going soon after dinner. "Are you okay?" She asked, starting to feel nervous. Kurt saw her worried expression and rushed to reassure her.

"I always feel a little nervous before a mission." He explained. Peggy nodded understandingly. She didn't blame him. If Scott's stories were anything to go by, it could be dangerous out there. But that still didn't explain why he was standing outside her door. Kurt noticed that her hair was tied up in a towel, almost like a turban. A few curls had managed to escape and coiled beside her cheeks. Her skin was shining and he realised she'd just got out of the shower. Peggy wondered what he was looking at then realised with a jolt that she still had the towel on her head. She cleared her throat as she reached up and untied her hair, meanwhile, Kurt was struggling not to think about her in the shower. Peggy ran a hand through her damp hair and that only made things worse.

"Come in." She said, nodding over her shoulder into her room. She turned and left Kurt standing awkwardly in the doorway. After he'd gotten his many ridiculous, hormonal thoughts under control he followed her inside. As he gently closed the door behind him, Kurt's gaze swept over the room. Peggy was sat leaning against the edge of her desk, watching him closely. "Sorry I've never invited you guys over, I'm a little messy." She said, smiling apologetically. Kurt raised his eyebrows at her words.

"I can see that." He replied, giving her a pointed grin. Her floor was littered with clothes as she'd been in the middle of getting dressed when he knocked. Her bathroom door was open and he could see a bundle of towels in the middle of the floor. Her school bag had been upturned on her bed (which hadn't been made) so her pens and textbooks and notepads were scattered everywhere. Peggy untucked her hair, hiding her ears which she knew would turn pink at the tips.

"Sorry, I'll tidy up." She mumbled. She was so embarrassed. A cute boy was in her room and the place was a tip. She had thought about inviting him back to her room at great length but in her plans, she was properly dressed, not soggy, and she'd tidied up. He'd literally turned up out of the blue and she hadn't had time to prepare. Kurt blanched when he realised he'd sounded quite rude and he berated himself for offending her.

"No, I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound blunt." He said quickly and Peggy stopped trying to force all of her discarded clothes into one drawer. He explained it was because of the language difference, sometimes his words didn't come across with the tone he had intended. "It's nice." He insisted, and he was being honest. He knew she had no design input but the walls were a nice blue colour and there were a few flowers on her windowsill. Peggy scoffed at that and went to gather her school things off her bed so that they would have a place to sit.

"You think having a pigsty for a bedroom is nice?"

"It's endearing."

"You're too good to me, Kurt." She murmured, almost to herself. Kurt didn't think anything was too good for her but he kept quiet, lest he say something that he'd later regret. Peggy finished shovelling her school supplies back into her bag and dropped it with a soft 'thump' onto her desk. She sighed slightly as she flopped down onto her bed, picking up one of her pillows and holding it close to her chest. Kurt was still standing awkwardly in the centre of her room, fidgeting with his hands, his tail nervously curling by his feet. Peggy moved further up her bed then patted the duvet cover. "Come, sit." She said. Kurt had apparently been waiting for such an invitation because he immediately crossed the room and sat down on the bed. He stayed close to the edge, his feet flat on the floor. Peggy frowned slightly but decided not to push him. "When do you leave?" She asked instead, trying to get him to relax.

"At six exactly." He replied, his gaze still wandering around her room. He couldn't help being interested in his new surroundings, but the room smelt heavily of the shampoo she'd used in the shower and it was driving him crazy, so he was taking stock of the objects dotted about her room to distract himself.

"Where're the others?"

"Getting ready."

"Shouldn't you be getting ready too?"

"Nein. Well, yes, but I..." Kurt looked down at his lap then. His smile was somewhat sheepish. Peggy frowned curiously at her friend but he continued before she could ask what was wrong. "I wanted to see you before I- We left." He admitted. Peggy's chest clenched at his words but she was determined not to get flustered again. She reached for the hairbrush sitting on her bedside table and began to untangle her hair to keep her focused.

"Any particular reason?" She asked. Kurt finally looked up again and saw her teasing smile first, then what she was doing with her hair. The shower had only made it darker and little rivulets of water ran down her neck to the collar of her shirt. He licked his lips.

"Like I said, I always get nervous before a mission." He told her, dropping his gaze again. "You help me to... I always feel calm around you. I feel safe." He saw Peggy's hands freeze in his peripheral vision and baulked. "Tut mir Leid, das war dumm." He said quickly, running a hand through his dark hair. Peggy put down her hairbrush and for once didn't try to hide how happy he made her.

"Nein, eigentlich war es ganz süß." She replied. When he looked up, Kurt's scarlet eyes were wide with worry. To his surprise, Peggy was grinning happily and the sight made his racing heart relax just a little.

"Really?" He asked and Peggy nodded with a soft laugh. Kurt laughed too and sat back on the bed, starting to feel more and more comfortable as the seconds ticked by. "Well, there's more where that came from." Peggy didn't doubt that for a second. At first, Kurt appeared shy and sweet, but she had a feeling he had a snarky side that would make her knees even weaker for him. After a beat of silence, Peggy tilted her head to the side slightly, her amber brown eyes meeting his.

"Do you want me to take your mind off it?" She asked. Kurt swallowed thickly but nodded despite his nerves.

"Ja, that would be good." Peggy chucked her pillow at him and it caught him square in the face. Before he could retaliate, she'd jumped off the bed and was already on the other side of the room. From the top of the dresser, she brought down a small, square television. It had a little handle on top that made it portable and a slightly mangled antenna attached at the back. She and Jubilee saw it in a charity shop a few days ago and decided to go halves on it, spurred on by the aggravation of the younger kids having the monopoly over the mansion's only television. Today was her turn to have it and Peggy thought it was the best way to keep his mind off reality for a while.

"You ever watched 'Cheers'?" She asked as she dropped the television unceremoniously onto the bed. It was an old set so she could be a little rough and tumble with it. Kurt, who had only watched television a few times in all his life, stopped it from bouncing off the side of the bed. He clutched it close to his chest as he watched Peggy move about the room.

"I've heard of it." He'd glimpsed a few kids watching the show in the mansion but had never had the time to sit and watch. Peggy glanced at her bedside clock again and saw that it was almost half past. The show would be starting soon. She dragged her desk over from the window to stand in front of the bed. Then she prised the TV from Kurt's grip and placed it on top.

"Even if you don't like it, it'll keep your mind off things." She murmured quietly, her full attention on getting the old machine to work. She found the right channel and fiddled with the aerial for a minute to get the clearest picture possible. The buzzing and fizzing stopped just as it was announced that 'Cheers' was filmed in front of a live studio audience. Peggy flopped back down onto her bed and sat up against the wall. Kurt was still on the very edge of the bed so she tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, wordlessly asking him to come closer. Kurt did as he was asked and shuffled backwards so that he was sat beside her. There was a noticeable gap between them and Peggy wished she was brave enough to close it.

They settled in to watch the programme, a comfortable silence filling the room. Peggy could tell that Kurt was still a little on edge even if his body language was relaxed, so she said, "It's funny. When I was younger, I'd watch the telly and mimic all the different characters." She could tell she had Kurt's attention so she continued in a soft voice. "At first we all thought I was just good at impressions. My family always joked that if I ever got kicked out of school, I would always have a job as a comedian to fall back on." Kurt laughed softly. He shifted to get more comfortable and unintentionally bridged the gap between them. His arm touched hers, and although there were two layers of clothing between them, Peggy felt her skin tingle, almost like it was glowing.

"Then one day," She went on, trying to keep her voice steady. "I realised I could do more than just repeat stuff. I didn't think there was anything wrong with what I could do but my family didn't find it funny anymore. I didn't understand why. Then I was at school and this big lad was pushing around one of my friends. I told him to stop and he pushed me to the floor and then suddenly they were all staring at me. I'd completely vanished. Well, now I know that I'd just camouflaged but at the time, I thought I'd hit the ground so hard I'd gone invisible or something." Kurt looked down at her, the television programme long forgotten. She was far more captivating. Peggy shook her head slightly, her eyes still trained on the TV. "I was so frightened, I didn't tell anyone about it for months. Then one day it happened again at home. My parents realised that I was a mutant."

"How did they react?" Kurt asked softly. Peggy looked up at him and once again was startled by how close they were. She swallowed and tried to quell the shiver that ran over her skin. Then her sense returned and she looked away again, mentally kicking herself for getting so enthralled by the boy who was only supposed to be her friend.

"Pretty well, considering." She replied, cracking a grin at the memory. Her parents had sat in a stunned silence for a few moments as the truth dawned on them. Her siblings were too young to understand what was going on and kept playing in the living room. Her mum opened her mouth to speak but found no words. She exchanged a look with her dad but he looked just as stunned. Then, just as Peggy was on the brink of tears, they brought her in for a tight hug, whispering words of encouragement and assuring her that she wasn't a freak, that they were always going to love her, no matter what. "They were a little confused at first, I think. They thought maybe they'd done something wrong. But nope, genetics are just weird." Peggy shrugged and her shoulder bumped against Kurt's, a reminder of how close they were. "They warned me to never show my mutations in public. I think they were scared someone might try to hurt me." She looked up at Kurt then, a small smile on her lips. "That's why I love it here so much. Everyone can be who they are." He nodded, he felt exactly the same way.

Kurt watched Peggy bite her lip as if she was debating whether to say what she wanted to or not. God, she was so beautiful. He was so close, he could see the thousands of little freckles dusted across her nose and cheeks. Her dark hair was curling at the ends because she hadn't dried it properly yet. Her eyes were so clear and warm and full of life and Kurt knew he ought to look away but he was entranced. "I guess what I'm saying, Kurt, is that..." Peggy murmured finally and he found he'd been leaning forward subconsciously. He sat up again, trying not to give away just how close he'd been to giving into his desires. "I feel safe with you too." Peggy admitted, then gave him a sweet smile. Kurt looked away but returned her smile all the same. She saw that his cheeks were tinged purple and realised that he was blushing.

"I'm very glad." He murmured, nodding slightly. Peggy's smile grew and Kurt wondered why God was testing him so harshly. She turned away finally to watch the TV and Kurt let out a shaky breath that he hoped she didn't hear as he sat back against the wall again. They stayed that way until about five minutes to six. Kurt didn't want to leave, he could've stayed there forever. Her body was so warm and inviting. If he was braver, he would've put an arm around her and pulled her against his chest. But no, they weren't there yet. Although his friends urged him daily to 'make a move', Kurt wanted to take things slow. And anyway, just sitting next to Peggy and being able to talk to her about anything was enough to make him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

He regretfully left her bed and thanked Peggy for allowing him to sit with her. He didn't know how it was possible that the same girl could make him feel so peaceful while the rest of time, talking to her made him feel like he needed a sit-down. Peggy wished him luck on his mission, hiding her own nerves for his sake. He gave her one last winsome smile before teleporting away. Peggy scrunched her nose at the blue smoke but it evaporated as quickly as it arrived.

She stood there, staring at the door and considering how quiet it was now. The room felt so empty without him in it. With a slight sigh, she turned off the TV and set it down on her dresser, then pushed her desk back over to the window. When everything was (somewhat) tidy, she collapsed onto her bed. Peggy let out a long groan as she replayed the last half hour in her head. Only one thought seemed to summarise her feelings adequately and she muttered it out loud to herself, shaking her head in despair.

"Oh, you are so _fucked_ , Peggy Murphy."

* * *

1\. That's amazing

2\. Sorry, that was stupid.

3\. No, I thought it was sweet


	6. Chapter 6

Three sharp, loud knocks brought Peggy halfway out of her dreams. At first, she couldn't tell if there was someone in her room or if she was imagining it in her sleep-addled state. Then whatever it was knocked again. She realised there was someone at the door. Peggy groaned and begrudgingly emerged from the warm embrace of her covers, like a bear whose hibernation had been interrupted.

She padded to the door, rubbing her tired eyes with her fingertips. Whoever it was knocked again and Peggy cursed them under her breath before she swung open the door. To her great surprise and embarrassment, she found Professor Xavier waiting patiently outside. Peggy started at the sight of him, her eyes flying wide. She suddenly felt a lot more awake.

"Peggy, good morning." Charles greeted her with a tiny smile. He knew he'd woken her up. Even if he hadn't been able to read her mind, her irritation was clear as day on her face.

"Professor?" Peggy squinted at him as the bright sunlight in the hallway met her eyes. She blinked a couple of times and he came into focus. Why was the Professor outside her door? She wasn't late for class, was she? No, there were no classes today. "It's Saturday." She grumbled, reaching up and rubbing her face with the flats of her hands. "And it's the crack of dawn." Charles frowned. Was she correct? Had he misread the time? One quick glance at his watch had him breathing a deep, exasperated sigh.

"It's gone eleven." He didn't know why he was even surprised, he knew more than most about the intrinsic laziness of teenagers. Peggy seemed unperturbed by this revelation. She merely blinked at him groggily, waiting for him to explain why he'd woken her up. Charles sighed again, sitting back in his chair with his hands folded in his lap. "If I'm honest, I expected a bit more get-up-and-go from you on the day of your first mission." The sleepy haze in Peggy's head suddenly vanished. She rubbed her face, hoping to encourage some life back into herself.

"What?" She stared at the Professor, wondering if she'd heard him correctly in her drowsy state. Charles stared back, his lips pursed as he considered her question. A quick peek inside her head confirmed his suspicions whilst Peggy continued to gawp at him.

"Nobody told you." He realised. Peggy shook her head slowly, her eyes still wide. Charles was a little embarrassed, to say the least. His brow furrowed as he cast his mind back to the conversation he and his friends shared the night before. "I could've sworn I told Hank to..." He, Raven and Hank held weekly meetings to discuss their students' progress. When Hank told them that he thought Peggy was ready to join the X-Men team officially and Raven whole-heartedly agreed, Charles proposed that she start immediately. At least, he thought he had. He _was_ on his fourth snifter of whiskey at the time. "Never mind." He muttered, waving a hand about airily.

"I'm going on a mission?" Peggy's question came out a lot quieter than she'd intended. Charles picked up on the shock in her tone and then the thousands of questions buzzing like a swarm of bees inside her head. He tried to answer them all as briefly and succinctly as possible, keeping in mind that she'd only just woken up.

"Hank and Raven both agreed that you are ready and if they're happy, then so am I." Her face lit up and he allowed himself a small smile. This was one of his favourite parts about his job, seeing the look of joy on his students' faces when they achieved something they never thought possible. "I've detected a mutant in Kelleys Island, Ohio. A young girl." Peggy was still a little stunned but when she realised the Professor was explaining the details of her first mission, she tried to keep her focus. "You and a few others are going to find her and invite her to come back to the Institute. I thought it would be a good start for you, nothing too dangerous." Charles smirked. Peggy tried to bite back a smile but it was getting increasingly difficult the more she thought about the news. She noticed the Professor watching her, waiting patiently for some kind of reaction.

"Thank you." She said finally, still feeling a bit dazed. She drew herself up to her full height, raising her chin like a soldier called to attention. "I won't let you down." Charles detected and appreciated the sincerity of her tone. He bade her goodbye with a short nod and a kind smile before he turned around and wheeled down the hall, greeting a couple of students walking in and out of their rooms as he went past them. Peggy was glad she stuck around to watch him leave because the Professor stopped suddenly and turned 180°.

"Be ready to leave in ten minutes." He added as an afterthought. Peggy gave him a quick salute to show she understood. Before he turned around again, a thought suddenly struck.

"Who will I be going with?"

* * *

"So, who's this girl Kurt's been mooning over?" Peter asked, sending the boy in question a smug grin. Scott snorted but Kurt didn't think it was at all funny.

"I haven't been mooning over anyone." He grumbled, sliding his hands into his jacket pockets. He looked down at the ground, kicking a spare screw that Hank must have dropped with the toe of his shoe. Kurt didn't want them to see him blush. It appeared that news of his infatuation had spread wide enough for Peter Maximoff, who didn't even live at the school, to hear about it.

"Her name's Peggy." Scott told him, making Kurt roll his eyes. He was a little annoyed but not at all surprised that his friend had betrayed him so quickly. "She's only been here a month. She's Irish."

"Cool." They were standing in the aircraft hangar beneath the school, waiting for the whole team to assemble. The Professor had already given them their mission objectives, all they needed now was their pilot. Scott, Jean, Jubilee and Ororo were heading upstate where a young man had just gotten into trouble for creating a hurricane in his school library. His mutation had suddenly manifested for the first time, the damage wasn't his fault.

Similarly, Peter, Kurt, and Peggy were heading east where a little girl's powers had suddenly sprung into life in Cerebro's web. The boys were talking amongst themselves to the side, shooting the breeze until they were called to action. Scott raised his eyebrows then said with striking nonchalance,

"She's pretty hot." Peter nodded seriously but Kurt's eyes were suddenly like saucers.

"Scott!" He protested, looking around them fearfully just in case they were overheard. Scott shrugged.

"What? She is." Kurt bit back an exasperated sigh. Not only did he think it was entirely inappropriate to talk about Peggy like that, but if anyone heard them and it got back to her, he'd be mortified.

"Nice." Peter began to smile, clearly not worried about being overheard. "What's she like?" Kurt sent Scott a dark look, begging him not to describe Peggy. It felt wrong to talk about her when she wasn't there, especially about the way she looked. He hated the idea of anyone thinking about her like that. He _never_ let his thoughts digress to how attractive she was. Well, almost never. Okay, once or twice. Fine, if he was being completely honest, it was becoming more and more difficult not to think about Peggy in ways that his religion really didn't agree with, but it was also getting to the point where he didn't care. Scott opened his mouth to describe Peggy but raised voices over his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head to see what was going on and realised he wouldn't have to after all.

"There she is now." He pointed to the hangar door where Peggy had just entered the room accompanied by Professor Xavier. Kurt's heartbeat immediately picked up at the sight of her. His thoughts drifted to the time they shared in her bedroom a few days ago. He could still feel her against his side, still remember the thin shirt she wore and the smell of her shampoo. He could feel his skin starting to heat up and quickly attempted to block all thoughts of her from his head. Peggy left the Professor's side to greet her friends, instantly slipping into the conversation Jubilee, Ororo and Jean shared.

She looked so beautiful. Dark curly hair and big brown eyes and _that_ dress. The last time she'd worn it, Scott had murmured something about it looking better on Kurt's bedroom floor. It took him a moment to process exactly what he was implying but once the penny dropped, Kurt hadn't been able to think about anything else all day and felt extremely bad about it. He closed his eyes and willed himself to stop thinking about her now, especially with Jean and the Professor so close by. When Peter saw her, his eyebrows rose of their own accord.

"Wow." He muttered, then much to Kurt's annoyance, he let out a low appreciative whistle. Peter clapped a hand down on his friend's shoulder, suddenly feeling immensely proud of him. "Nice one, Kurt." Scott stifled a laugh at the dark look on Kurt's face. He knew they were only teasing him and it was all in good fun, but he had a feeling if they pushed it too far, Kurt might snap. Scott decided it would be fun to test the waters of his patience a little more.

"She's got a great pair of-" He gestured to his chest and wriggled his eyebrows meaningfully. Kurt's mouth fell open like it had broken its hinges.

"Scott!" He cried, shocked by the vulgarity of his friend's words. He felt his face start to grow hot and tried not to think about what Scott was insinuating and more importantly, tried not to look at Peggy. Scott laughed at the look on his face and waved him off, immediately apologising for being so crude.

"I'm only joking." He said, then apologised again. Peggy was his friend too, he would never talk about her like that and mean it. "Just wanted to see if you'd spring into action and defend her honour or whatever." He raised his eyebrows at Peter who mirrored his expression. "I was not disappointed."

"So she's hot, but is she good enough for Kurt?" Peter mused, making Kurt let out a long, frustrated groan.

"Guys, please." He knew there was no way he could possibly stop them but Peggy was only just across the room. He hadn't exactly been subtle but he had hoped that he'd be able to tell Peggy how he felt himself, rather than let her overhear his so-called friends gossiping like old women. Scott glanced at Kurt, pretending to seriously consider Peter's question just to antagonise him some more. When Kurt pulled a face at him, he chuckled.

"She's smart. She's funny. She has a great Elvis impression." He listed off just a few of the many ways that Peggy was a great girl, holding back a little so that Peter could find the rest out for himself. He clicked his fingers, a wide grin settling onto his lips. "Oh, and get this: she's Catholic _and_ she speaks German."

"Holy crap." Peter said, all of a sudden genuinely impressed.

"The best part is, she is totally in love with Kurt." Scott nudged him in the side with his elbow. Kurt swatted him away, his pointed teeth beginning to show as his irritation grew.

"She is not in love with me." He muttered, smoothing a hand over his aching ribs. He tried to act indifferent but their conversation was making his heart beat faster and faster. He didn't dare look over at Peggy.

"Jean said she was." Scott argued quickly, making his companions perk up with interest. Peter looked surprised while Kurt looked cautiously optimistic. Scott's nose twitched and he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, she may as well have." He mumbled and his friends both sighed deeply. Peter looked over at the girl in question, studying the way she interacted with her friends. Peggy was listening intently to something Jubilee was telling her then suddenly she threw her head back laughing, her hand resting on Jubilee's shoulder to help support her.

Peter looked back at Kurt and saw that he too was watching Peggy, except he had this dopey, love-struck look on his face. He exchanged a glance with Scott and they both shook their heads despairingly. Peter tugged at the collar of his silver jacket then ran a hand through his hair, straightening out his appearance. He slipped his goggles from his neck up onto his forehead before clearing his throat to attract his friends' attention.

"I think it's time I introduce myself." He announced, adjusting his shirt to make sure he looked presentable. Before Kurt could protest, he'd already zipped across the room. Peter arrived so suddenly that Peggy jumped and let out a little yelp of surprise. He was talking to her before she had a chance to complain. "Hey, it's Peggy, right?" Peter gave her his best smile. Her heart was still thudding so she took a deep breath to calm herself before she answered.

"That's me." She glanced at her friends to make sure they weren't sending her any warning signals. They all wore expressions ranging from exasperation to delight. Okay, so this boy was going to be tricky to pin down. Peter took her hand and bent his head in an exaggerated bow. He would've kissed her hand but he knew without a doubt that Kurt was watching him and he didn't want to be teleported to the top of the Empire State Building.

"The pleasure's all mine." He said in a low, crooning voice. Peggy let him take her hand. She had never seen him before but she was more amused by the boy than wary.

"Glad to hear it." She sent her friends an incredulous look over her shoulder. Ororo rolled her eyes and Jean had to bite back her laughter. The strange boy straightened up again and sent her a shameless wink. Peggy finally put two and two together. "You must be Peter." She realised, her lips beginning to curl into a smile. His swift arrival suddenly made sense, not least his strange clothes and the charm offensive. Peter grinned, feeling quite pleased that there was no need to introduce himself.

"Maximoff. So you've heard of me?" He was tall, probably about the same height as Kurt, with a mop of strange silver hair and a perpetual smirk. Oh, yes, no introduction necessary.

"Your reputation proceeds you." Peggy raised her eyebrows deliberately but Peter didn't seem deterred. In fact, he seemed delighted to have a reputation. A few meters away, Kurt's sensitive hearing was picking up his every word. He regretted letting Scott mention Peggy. He didn't want Peter to annoy her or say something inappropriate, which he was more than likely to do. Scott looked between Peter's obnoxious smile, Peggy's amused expression, and Kurt's gritted teeth. He was very glad he wasn't going with them on their mission.

"Don't you wanna get over there?" Scott suggested, regarding Kurt warily. He'd never seen him look so irritated before. Usually, Kurt was very easy-going. Even when other boys flirted with Peggy, which they often did, he didn't get angry, at least not outwardly. Scott knew that every time Peggy was approached by a new boy, Kurt panicked that she might flirt back but he never said a word.

Scott supposed that meant he truly cared. Not that Kurt had anything to worry about. Peggy always brushed them off politely, which they all thought was extremely funny. Jean had even confirmed it. There was Kurt worrying that one day she would accept some guy's advances, meanwhile, Peggy never looked at anyone else, just waiting for Kurt to make a move. They were useless, the pair of them. Kurt crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving Peter.

"Why? I don't care." Kurt's reply would've been a lot more convincing if he hadn't hissed it through clenched teeth. Scott gave him a sceptical look that made Kurt uncross his arms. He grinned and Kurt shook his head, sighing slightly. There was only a beat of silence until Scott spoke again.

"He's going to flirt with her."

"What?" Kurt finally looked away from Peter to give Scott an incredulous look. "No, he won't, he's-" He stopped mid-sentence, actually considering Scott's words. It took all of three seconds for him to remember exactly who it was that Peggy was chatting to. "Scheisse." He muttered, his eyes wide.

"Well, I've heard a lot about you too." Peter said, sliding his hands into his pockets. When Peggy gave him a questioning frown, he nodded his head in Kurt and Scott's direction. Peggy looked over and saw that her friends were watching her and Peter talk. Was she imagining it, or did Kurt look a little annoyed? His tail lashed behind him, his scarlet eyes watching every move Peter made. She'd never seen him look even remotely angry before. Was he... Was he jealous? Peggy wasn't sure she should even entertain the thought.

Peter crossed his arms over his chest, recapturing her attention. "So, what d'you say you and me go get a bite to eat after all this, huh?" He proposed, that smirk still coming out in full force. He was testing her. If she declined his offer, then she truly did have feelings for Kurt. Either that or she found him intolerable, but that was ridiculous. Peggy raised a single eyebrow and suddenly Peter understood why Kurt acted so goofily around her. God, he was a lucky guy.

"Aren't you a little old for me?" Peter tutted and ran a hand through his hair again, while Kurt held back a snarl. Scott put a hand on his shoulder to settle him. He knew Kurt would never hurt a fly, but that was before his enormous crush on Peggy and if he was being honest, Peter kinda deserved it.

"Don't let the hair fool you." Peggy still looked fairly unimpressed by his advances but she didn't have a chance to comment. Hank had finally entered the hangar. She looked around and realised with a jolt of disappointment that none of the students were wearing their X-Men suits. Peggy couldn't wait to try hers on, she hoped she got the chance to wear it soon. Of course, this had absolutely nothing to do with wanting to see Kurt in his suit. Peggy repeated a determined mantra in her head, trying to convince herself that she wasn't desperate to see him in the skin-tight armour that would most definitely look extremely hot and accentuate everything that got her mind racing and _oh, God, she needed help._

Hank directed Scott, Ororo, Jean and Jubilee over to one of the cars in the hangar, the remaining few he asked to follow him. Peter gave her one last grin before he zoomed off towards the plane that would take them to Kelleys Island. Peggy said goodbye to her friends and followed him, though at a much, much slower pace.

"So, you met Peter." She looked around and found Kurt by her side. He no longer looked irritated, although his voice was noticeably tight. He was playing it cool, trying to pretend that he wasn't bothered by Peter's flirtatious behaviour. The thought made Peggy's chest flutter, it was quite exciting to know that he cared enough to be jealous, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"Yeah. He seems nice." She replied nonchalantly as she led him over to the little plane. Peggy entertained the idea of teasing him, perhaps even saying that she thought Peter was cute, but she didn't want to be mean. Even her vague comment seemed to make Kurt uncomfortable. He shrugged heavily, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"I suppose." He said quietly, not meeting her eyes. Peggy shook her head slightly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"A little ridiculous though." She felt the need to reassure Kurt that she didn't appreciate Peter's advances. She knew Kurt liked her (though she would be truly staggered if she knew just how much) and on some level, she was trying to show that she felt the same way. Peggy was nowhere near brave enough to actually say anything but she hadn't looked twice at any other boy since they met and even if Kurt didn't get the message, Scott certainly would. Peggy knew she was being a coward but she'd never felt this way about anyone before and she really had no idea what she was doing. For now, she would just stay as close to Kurt as possible and resist the urge to kiss the living daylights out of him. "Are you close?"

"He's a good friend." Kurt replied, although to himself he added _'But not for much longer if he keeps flirting with you'_. They reached the foot of the ramp and Peggy paused. The gravity of the situation was finally dawning on her. Kurt took a couple of steps before he realised she'd stopped. He saw the clouded expression on Peggy's face and came back, watching her carefully. Peter popped his head around the opening of the aircraft and frowned when he saw them just standing there. He couldn't bear staying still when there was so much to do and he especially hated when others were determined to move as slowly as possible.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked loudly. Peggy gave him a slight nod in response but didn't move apart from that. Peter waited for all of one second before he drummed his fingers against the metal doorway and disappeared inside again to bother Hank. Kurt waited patiently, his brow creased with concern. He watched Peggy place her foot on the bottom of the ramp, her expression unreadable. She could barely contain her excitement. This was the first step of her first mission. She felt like Neil Armstrong. _One small step for Peggy, one giant leap for mutantkind._ Okay, maybe she was getting ahead of herself.

"Peggy?" She looked up at the sound of her name to see Kurt looking at her curiously. He tilted his head, silently asking if anything was the matter. Peggy smiled in response and finally began to walk up the ramp. Once she was inside, the heavy door slid shut with a slight hiss. There were two rows of seats facing each other. At the front of the plane, Peggy could see Hank at the control panel. She was a little surprised that he knew how to fly what looked like a converted fighter jet but she didn't question it.

Kurt showed her where to sit and she buckled herself in. He took the seat beside her, Peter was already strapped in across from them. His feet tapped a steady rhythm and he hummed a tune she didn't recognise. Peggy was a little worried that he would grow very annoying very quickly, but then the plane began to rumble, drowning out Peter's hyperactive tendencies. Hank's voice echoed over the speakers above their heads, preparing them for take-off. Peggy squeezed her eyes shut as the plane began to move faster and faster until the wheels lifted from the ground. Her stomach dropped as the plane shot up vertically, escaping the hangar like something out of 'Thunderbirds'. The engines roared as they shot through the clouds.

"This is… Fun." Peggy said, her voice shaking as the jet rumbled. She still hadn't opened her eyes. She didn't think anyone would have been able to hear her over the roar of the engines but she heard Peter laugh.

"Oh, you're not scared of heights, are you?" Peggy finally opened her eyes and saw that he looked drastically more comfortable than she felt. His head leaned back against the seat, his fingers tapping away constantly in his lap. Peggy gripped the harness she was buckled into until her fingers turned pale.

"Not usually." She closed her eyes again, her brow furrowed in concentration. "But sitting in a tin can full of mutants doesn't really bode well, does it?" Peter laughed again as the plane lurched to the left. He caught Kurt's eyes and mouthed 'I like this girl' with a subtle thumbs up. Kurt chuckled and looked down at his lap, although he was secretly glad that Peggy had the seal of approval from all his jet shook every so often, just like a commercial flight, except she didn't have the added assurance of a trained pilot at the wheel. What they did have was Hank. She had no doubt in his abilities but Peggy found herself tightening the strap of her seatbelt even so.

The whole journey took less than forty-five minutes but Peggy's anticipation made it feel like hours. She had even started to tap her feet against the floor with Peter as her excitement grew and grew. She was just starting to get bored when the plane dipped suddenly. Kurt looked over and gave her an enthusiastic grin that she found herself returning instantly. The jet landed without a fault and Peggy rushed to undo her seatbelt. The door to the little plane slid open and Kurt had to hold her back so that she didn't walk out before the ramp came down.

They stepped outside onto tarmac, blinking in the bright June sunlight. Kelleys Island was unimposing, only eleven square miles. The northern half was an unremarkable strip of rolling, sandy hillocks. Then in the middle, sand hills rose thirty to forty feet, marching south as the island widened. The western reach was taken up by a couple of restaurants with staunch, reliable customers. To the east was the boundless Atlantic Ocean, across which Peggy could imagine she saw her home. Dunes, beaches, boats, and quiet. Almost too quiet.

"What a strange place." Peggy murmured to herself, but Kurt still caught it. He watched to make sure she was feeling alright but she was smiling at her surroundings. They were standing on a small strip of tarmac just outside of town. A long road stretched off into the distance, the only main road on the whole island. There were a few cars but no people. "Where are we again?"

"Kelleys Island. Population 271." Said Hank, appearing beside them. Peggy had never been anywhere like this before. Admittedly, there weren't many people in the town she grew up in but this island was completely cut off from the mainland, apart from the ferry system that carried a hundred or so people back and forth every day.

"It's beautiful." Peggy murmured. White sandy beaches, quirky little houses, and an overwhelming sense of peace and quiet. How could anything bad ever happen in a place like this? Peter wasn't so sure.

"A little creepy, if you ask me." He slipped on his sunglasses and wrinkled his nose at his surroundings. He was a city kid, born and bred. Being out here in the middle of nowhere with hardly enough room to run around, it would drive him crazy eventually.

"It's mostly a vacation destination. Beaches, parks, campgrounds, that sorta thing." Hank explained, digging around inside his bag. They watched him draw out the little black book he was always carried. "This girl you're looking for, her name's Carol Brown." Hank didn't have a picture but he did have an address. He ripped out a page from his notepad and handed it to Kurt.

Peter complained, of course, offended that Hank didn't think he was the most responsible member of the team. Hank ignored him, he was used to this sort of thing from Peter. He'd actually asked Professor Xavier before they left if leaving him with Kurt and Peggy was a good idea. Charles had insisted that Peter was an adult and had shown great maturity lately. That and Raven was out of town and there was no one else to take them. "Cerebro told us she lives near the harbour with her uncle. Try to get back by three. I'll be waiting here."

With one last wave, Hank disappeared back inside the jet. Peggy was a little surprised that he trusted them to complete their mission, no matter how trivial, without his supervision. She supposed Peter was legally an adult but the similarities stopped there. She met Kurt's gaze and he gave her a reassuring little smile. The three X-Men began to make their way along the winding road, Peter always a step or two ahead. They could tell he was just itching to rush off but he refrained, perhaps to prove himself a worthy leader, or perhaps because Hank would yell at him if he found out.

"She shouldn't be too hard to find with only 271 people on the whole island." Kurt said, his voice quiet. There was hardly any noise on the island. No car horns, no loud voices, no music. Just the slow in and out of the ocean in the distance and the occasional gull screech. It was a far cry from bustling, writhing, suffocating East Berlin. He slowed his steps to glance into a tackle and bait shop as they passed. There

He slowed his steps to glance into a tackle and bait shop as they passed. There was a whole array of equipment in the window display, brightly feathered lures and fishing poles that glinted in the sunlight. Peggy smiled at his curiosity but they had a mission to complete. She took him by the sleeve and gently urged him to keep moving. She also didn't want to get left behind by Peter, who was already getting further and further away.

"I wish you hadn't said that." She said, tapping him on the end of his nose with a smirk. Kurt quite enjoyed her teasing gesture but he frowned at her words. Peggy knocked on the side of the wooden building and Kurt realised she was talking about him jinxing their luck. He apologised and tapped the wood too as he went past. A few minutes later, they reached the shoreline. Peggy scanned the horizon and spotted the ferry port that could take them to the mainland. A few colourful little sailing boats were tied up and she amused herself by reading the names they'd been given. Peter put his hands on his hips, looking very proud of himself.

"Okay, we found the harbour. Good job, troops." He barked, his seemingly perpetual smirk never fading. Kurt rolled his eyes at Peggy and she tried to suppress a smile. "What was the address again?" Kurt dug around in his pocket for the scrap of paper Hank had entrusted him with. It contained a short biography of Carol Brown, including her description, schooling, and most importantly, her whereabouts. Hank had scribbled down coordinates first, then underneath a short address.

"203 East Lakeshore Drive." Kurt looked around for any indication of where they were and spotted a street sign over by a low wall. Perched on top were a couple of chattering seagulls, eyeing him warily. Kurt realised they'd been walking down East Lakeshore Drive this whole time. There was only one main road? This really was a tiny island. They set off in what they hoped was the right direction, using the house numbers for guidance. They had a lot of time so Kurt and Peggy were happy to meander down the street, taking in the strange beauty of the island.

They set off in what they hoped was the right direction, using the house numbers for guidance. They had a lot of time so Kurt and Peggy were happy to meander down the street, taking in the strange beauty of the island. Peter, however, was chomping at the bit. He'd been still for far too long. He let out a long groan, flinging his hands into the air above his head.

"C'mon, guys! My grandmother moves faster than you, God rest her." Kurt and Peggy exchanged a glance and silently agreed to slow down even further. It took Peter a while to notice but when he did, he let out another groan before slipping on his goggles and disappearing in a silver haze. Peggy jumped at his sudden disappearance. Kurt saw the look on her face and began to smile.

"Peter is fast." He explained simply and Peggy nodded slowly, her eyes wide. There was another flash and suddenly Peter was standing beside them again. In the time he'd been gone, he'd run around the whole island three times just to burn off a little energy. If he didn't move for a while, it felt like his chest was going to explode with all the adrenaline pulsing through him.

"The fastest." He corrected Kurt, grinning widely. Then suddenly, his smile dropped and his expression clouded with something akin to concern. He looked over his shoulder in the direction he'd sped off not a second ago. "Wait, did I..?" He didn't even finish his sentence before he was gone again. Peter moved so fast, his departure made Peggy's hair whip around her shoulders. She shielded her eyes as he kicked up a wave of sand, tutting under her breath when it scattered into her clothes.

"Does he do that a lot?" Peggy muttered as she shook out her dress, hoping to clear away most of the sand.

"I don't want to put you off future missions." Kurt was used to Peter suddenly vanishing and reappearing again a moment or two later with a milkshake, so he didn't think much of the way he'd disappeared a second time.

"You'd have a hard time doing that." Peggy smiled down at the pavement. She didn't think there was anything that could possibly get in the way of her and her new team. She felt like she belonged to something, something bigger than herself. Plus, the more time she spent with Kurt the better. He stared at her, trying to discern from her expression if she really had just flirted with him. Peggy met his gaze and Kurt looked uncertain for a moment, before a slow, delighted smile slipped onto his face. Before Peggy could even think about smiling back, there was a loud whoosh and Peter was by her side. It took a lot of effort to look away from Kurt but when she finally managed it, she saw that Peter's eyes were wide and fearful.

"Guys, I think we have a problem." Peggy was unnerved by the urgency to his tone. His smile was gone, his energy now nervous and stuttery. He gestured for them to follow him and he ran off down the road, though not at his usual inhuman pace. He was still much faster than they were but Peggy and Kurt strove to keep up, spurred on by Peter's uncharacteristic sobriety. They didn't ask any questions, they sensed there wasn't time.

He led them down the winding road until coming to a stop outside of a house. A long time ago, it was probably quite a sweet little home. Now the white paint was cracked and peeling, and the front porch was littered with beer cans instead of children's toys. The owners would have had a nice view if it weren't for the wooden boards nailed over the windows. A faded American flag hung limply on the front lawn. Even without the mess and its washed-out appearance, there was something eerie about the house. Kurt slipped the scrap of paper from his pocket and checked the address. The sun-bleached numbers by the door matched up.

"This is it. 203." He kept his voice low. The house was so quiet and still, it was making him nervous.

"Look at the door." Peter pointed at the house. Peggy followed his gesture, shielding her eyes from the sun so that she could see better.

"What about the..?" Her words trailed off when she finally realised what had made Peter so worried. At first, it appeared as if nothing was amiss but as she looked closer, Peggy could see that the lock had been smashed to pieces. Whoever had broken it had jammed the door shut so that it appeared closed. Someone had forced their way in. She blinked and suddenly Peter was standing in front of the house, his fingers inches away from the door. "Peter, wait." Peggy whispered harshly, glancing over her shoulders.

The street was empty but she felt such an overwhelming sense of dread, it felt as if they were being watched. Despite her warning, Peter hooked two fingers around the door and carefully pulled it all the way open. The broken door handle lay inside on the floor amongst scattered wood splinters. Peter looked back and saw that Peggy and Kurt were still standing by the curb, watching him with wide eyes.

He put a finger to his lips, warning them to stay silent, then stepped inside. Every bone in Kurt's body was telling him to stay put but he couldn't let Peter go in alone. He heard Peggy swear under her breath and knew she was thinking along the same lines. Without a word, they climbed up the porch steps and followed Peter inside. The house was well lit by the afternoon sun but Peggy's nerves tinged the rooms and corridors with darkness.

Kurt led her down the hallway to the back of the house. They passed the living room where all the furniture wore the stench of cigarettes like perfume. They ignored carpeted stairs which led the way to the second floor, heading straight for the kitchen doorway where Peter was standing. Peggy didn't think she'd ever seen him so still. The house was so silent that when at last he spoke, it made her jump.

"Holy shit." Kurt faltered in the kitchen doorway when he saw what Peter had found. He wanted to put his arm out to block Peggy's way but his brain had gone all numb and fuzzy. He stopped so suddenly in the doorway that she almost ran into the back of him. Before Peggy could ask what was wrong, a peculiar scent hit her nose. She'd never smelt anything like it and yet it was instantly recognisable.

"Gott im himmel." Kurt breathed. Peggy saw him make a cross, touching his forehead, his sternum, then either side of his chest. She quickly stepped around him. Even though Peggy had feared the worst, it could not have prepared her for what she saw. A man was lying on the floor, his face pressed into the linoleum. He was surrounded by broken glass and cutlery from a drawer that had been overturned. The table was on its side, all its chairs scattered around it. One was missing a leg but with one quick glance, she found it, bloodied and splintered, beside the man's head, which was a grisly mess like nothing she'd ever seen.

Peggy felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle, her heart rising to her throat. "We need to leave." Kurt whispered, his eyes never leaving the body. Peggy had been about to express her wholehearted agreement when a flash of movement caught her eye. She thought for a moment that she'd seen something by the back door. Although her body was reluctant, all her instincts were screaming at her to go explore. Peggy left Kurt's side and carefully stepped around the body to investigate whilst the boys argued.

"We can't leave yet."

"Peter, there's a dead man on the floor."

"We have a mission."

"We have a _dead_ _man_."

Peggy stepped through the open back door and cast her eyes around. The garden was completely bare apart from one strong tree near the fence. There were wooden boards nailed to the trunk to form a ladder, leading up to a ramshackle little house tucked away between the branches. Peggy took another tentative step out into the garden.

* * *

"But what about the girl?" Peter suddenly remembered. The body had shocked him so much that he'd forgotten the reason they were all there. This was supposed to be a recruitment mission, something he and his friends had done a hundred times over. This island had appeared so safe that it was boring but now there was so much danger and all of it unknown. Peter didn't feel safe and if it weren't for Carol Brown, he would agree with his friend. Kurt seemed to have forgotten about the little girl as well.

"But there's nobody here." Surely Carol would have run for help if her house was broken into. And if she was home, she would have heard them and come to investigate by now. He cocked his head and listened intently, wondering if he could pick up any sign of the girl. No, the house was completely silent and the only sound he could hear was his own thudding heart. Unless... Unless whoever hurt the man at their feet had also hurt the girl. Kurt suddenly felt sick. He reached out to take Peggy's hand but he swiped at air. He looked around and saw that she had disappeared. Hespan around in a circle, hoping he'd missed her. But no, she was gone. "Where's Peggy?"

* * *

The uneven paving stones tripped her feet and more than once, the littlest thing made Peggy jump. She felt an unerring sense of dread, it was just too quiet, but she knew that she'd seen something. Peggy followed the garden path around to the side of the house where there was a little alcove. A couple of dustbins and a rusted bike that looked like it hadn't been ridden for decades were stacked to the side but not much else.

A breeze picked up, making a couple of dry leaves skitter across the stones. The sound made Peggy shiver. She'd almost given up on her search when a twig cracked behind her. She span around, hands raised, ready to put her training into practice. But there was no one there. Peggy squinted at the empty garden.

"Is there somebody there?" She called, even though she knew she was tempting fate. Every horror movie she'd ever watched had a scene just like this. She fought the urge to run inside. Nothing at first and then... There. A face appeared behind the tall tree. A little girl. Carol Brown. Peggy's heart was beating a mile a minute but she forced herself to stay calm. She stepped forward until the paving stones turned to grass, never taking her eyes off the girl. "It's alright, darlin'. I'm here to help." She said in what she hoped was a soothing voice.

The girl watched her with inquisitive brown eyes. She didn't seem afraid, just wary. Peggy stopped halfway across the lawn and put a hand to her chest. "My name's Peggy." She introduced herself, giving the girl a reassuring smile. "What's yours?" The girl stared at her for a moment as if sizing her up. Then finally she stepped into the light.

"Carol." The girl said. She had dark skin and gapped teeth, her hair up in bunches. Peggy was surprised by how young she was. The Professor said she was just a girl but she had expected a teenager. Carol couldn't have been more than twelve. "Where's my uncle?" She asked nervously. Images of the broken man lying on the kitchen floor flashed into Peggy's head. She gritted her teeth and looked away, trying to think of an explanation that wouldn't terrify the girl. She drew a blank and decided to change the subject.

"What happened here, Carol?" Peggy took another small step closer. Carol watched her carefully with those strange, clever eyes but she didn't move away. Peggy hoped her friends would join her soon. She didn't have the slightest idea what she was doing. This was supposed to be an easy mission, a good jumping off point for her. She kept thinking about the man, Carol's uncle, and the brutal attack he'd suffered. The wind picked up and Peggy shivered again.

"A man was at the door." Carol told her slowly. She didn't seem afraid, but there was something in her voice that told Peggy she was close to tears. "I went outside to play. I was in the tree house. My uncle came out into the yard and called for me but I didn't want to go inside yet. He kept calling and knew I should've gone but I was having so much fun. And then, I think the man got angry."

Peggy swallowed thickly. Whoever this man was, he must have been furious to cause such damage. What if he came back? Would they be able to defend themselves and Carol? "I heard yelling, so I hid." The girl finished her story with a quick glance up at the tree house. So that was why she was still here, Carol hid and waited until the house was empty again. Peggy couldn't help admiring her bravery, she didn't think she could've acted so rationally at that age, maybe not even now. She heard footsteps behind her and whipped around to find Kurt and Peter had joined her. Peggy breathed a slight sigh of relief, her heart rate beginning to slow. When she looked back at Carol, she was slowly backing away from the two boys, a terrified look on her face.

"No, no, Carol, it's okay." Peggy said quickly, gesturing for the boys to move back a bit and give her some space. "These are my friends." Carol stopped but her eyes still darted fearfully between Peggy and her teammates. "This is Kurt and Peter." Peggy introduced them, giving the girl a reassuring smile. The boys gave a little wave, showing Carol that she had nothing to fear. The girl's shoulders relaxed a little. She tilted her head to one side, looking at them curiously.

"You're blue." Kurt was surprised that she'd addressed him so suddenly. He looked down at himself then up at the girl again, which Carol seemed to find amusing.

"Yes, I am." He replied in the same casual tone. Carol considered this for a moment before giving him an approving nod.

"Cool." She looked back to Peggy and frowned. "What are you doing here? Do you know my uncle?"

"We came to see you." Peggy tactfully stepped around the topic of the girl's unfortunate uncle again. She made a show of looking over her shoulder, as if she was making sure that nobody was eavesdropping. Carol watched her curiously as she took a step or two closer. "You have special powers, don't you?" Peggy whispered, beginning to smile. Immediately, Carol began to smile too. Then the girl paused and her expression dissolved into uncertainty.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it." She said quietly, looking down at her shoes. Peggy glanced at her friends and saw that they were watching her closely. Kurt gave her an encouraging nod and Peggy took another step closer to Carol.

"It's okay, we have them too." She said, her voice so soft that only the girl could hear her. Carol looked up at her with wide eyes, her mouth falling open. Peggy nodded and the girl's expression lit up. She knew exactly what Carol was feeling. Peggy remembered the first time she learnt about the X-gene, about people like herself. She could still remember the day she saw Mystique on the television, mutant and proud. Peggy had never felt alone nor particularly ashamed of the powers she was born with, but still, it was comforting to know that there were hundreds, possibly thousands of others all around the world who knew what it was like.

"Peg?" She straightened up and looked over to see Peter had taken a few steps closer. "We need to get going. They might come back." He spoke quietly, not wanting Carol to overhear and ask any more questions. Peggy nodded. This was an unprecedented problem. They couldn't just take Carol and they certainly couldn't leave her. The girl watched them all with those strange eyes, like she could see straight through them. Peggy sensed on some level that she knew exactly what was going on.

"Carol, do you have any other family nearby?" Peggy asked, an idea popping into her head. There weren't many people on the island, it would be difficult to hide from whoever it was that hurt Carol's uncle. Maybe if they took her to her family, they could look after her while they formulated a better plan. Carol shook her head.

"No, it's just me and my uncle." She said, dashing Peggy's hopes. She gestured for Peter and Kurt to come closer so that they could speak without Carol overhearing. They stood in a little huddle, each of them casting a nervous glance back at the house or at Carol every so often. Peggy quickly explained all that Carol had told her, about the man, the argument, everything.

"We need to take her back to the Institute." Peter decided. It was the safest place for the girl, that was certain. She had no family to look after her so naturally, Professor Xavier would take her in as one of their own.

"But what about the man?" Kurt put in. He was knotting his fingers together, betraying his anxiety. Peggy subconsciously moved closer to him, trying to reassure him that they were going to be alright, that he wasn't alone. "Why is he looking for her?" Peter's expression turned grave and he suddenly looked ten years older.

"I think we know why." He muttered, his gaze falling on Carol, who was watching them intently. The man had come for the girl because she was a mutant. The thought made Peggy sick. She exchanged a worried glance with Kurt. His hand brushed against hers and Peggy felt a little better. "Let's get her back to Hank, he'll know what to do." Peter said and they unanimously agreed it was the best thing to do considering the circumstances. Peggy moved to tell Carol the plan but Kurt caught her hand before she could walk away. He was staring into the kitchen window, his scarlet eyes wide.

"Did you hear that?" He whispered. Peggy's heart dropped at his words. The world suddenly seemed to have fallen silent, even the wind had stopped. The X-Men stared at the house, staying absolutely still. They waited for any sign of movement, any sound at all. Kurt squeezed Peggy's hand tighter. Then suddenly, a face appeared at the kitchen window.


	7. Chapter 7

"Get down!" Peter tried to usher his friends away from the house and out of sight but his warning came too late. Whoever it was at the window had seen them and was coming their way. Peggy heard Peter swear under his breath then felt his hand on her arm, dragging her to safety. He tried to lead the team around to the side of the house, hoping that Kurt could teleport them out before they were caught.

Peggy let him pull her away but her thoughts turned to Carol and she gasped. The girl wasn't following them. She looked back and saw that Carol was standing in the same spot, her expression clouded with fright. Peggy dug in her heels and wrenched her arm from Peter's grip. He protested at first but as soon as he saw what she had, he let her go. Peggy raced across the garden just as a man came through the back door.

"Carol!" She took her by the shoulders and pulled the little girl behind her, shielding her from view. Peggy took a deep, shaky breath as the man stepped into the sunlight. He was tall and shaped like a barrel, with thick arms and legs and an even thicker neck. His eyes were wild and dark, his mouth thin and twisted. At first, he seemed surprised to find so many people in the garden, he'd clearly only expected Carol. He got over his shock quickly. His eyes slid from Peter to Peggy. He was so still, it was unnerving in a man of his size. Finally, he stepped forward onto the grass and held out one large hand.

"Give me the girl." His voice rumbled like thunder. Peggy glanced at Peter out of the corner of her eye and saw him braced for action. She knew Kurt was watching closely but she couldn't see him. The man waited with his hand outstretched but after a few moments, he sighed deeply and unbuttoned his brown leather jacket. He reached inside and drew out a gun. It felt like all the air had left Peggy's lungs. She stared at the weapon in the man's meaty hand, her lips parting as she let out a shaky breath. She'd never seen a gun before, not a real one. Not even the police carried them back home. They were just as terrifying as she thought they'd be.

"Woah, woah, hey, man." Peter tactfully raised his hands above his head. "Chill out a sec." The man ignored him and raised the gun, pointing it straight at Peggy. She stiffened but didn't dare move. Behind her, Carol clutched her hand tight. Kurt instinctively moved towards Peggy, the urge to protect her was far stronger than his fear.

The gun swept away from her and the man pointed it at Kurt instead. He stopped dead but his eyes never left Peggy. He could sense the man was studying him but he didn't care. Kurt's gaze never wavered. Unfortunately, neither did the gun. The man's lip curled in disgust. Kurt knew what he was thinking without having to see the expression on his face. He repositioned his fingers on the butt of the gun, his sweaty palms making the metal slippery.

"You're all freaks." He realised, looking between the X-Men with clear revulsion. Peggy flinched at the word. She'd never had that kind of verbal abuse spat at her before. It stung just as badly as if he'd physically hurt her. Xavier's school was a safe-haven but it was easy to forget that there were still some who didn't accept them. Kurt was used to it. He just kept his eyes on Peggy and tried to stay calm. The man wrinkled his nose as he thought. They waited in silence, using the time to try and think up a plan. "You're coming with me." He said eventually, gesturing with the barrel of the gun. Peter scoffed at the man's words and the gun turned to point at him.

"Where?" He looked exceedingly unimpressed by the man's threats. Peter tried not to sound too cocky for the sake of his teammates. He was in charge, they were under his care. Still, he wanted the man to know that he had no power over them. Peter lowered his arms when they began to ache, regarding the gun before him with frightening nonchalance. When the man didn't respond, Peggy stepped in.

"What do you want with Carol?" She had to fight to keep her voice level. She felt the girl clutch her hand tighter. Peggy was afraid, more than words could say, but she had confidence in both her friends' abilities and her own. They would get out of this unharmed, she just had to keep calm.

Again, the man didn't answer the question posed to him. He took another step forward but he kept a wary distance. Now he knew they were mutants, he was a little more cautious. He couldn't be certain of their powers. The gun in his hand would be of little use in a fight. Still, he raised the weapon and pointed it straight at Peggy's forehead.

"I paid good money for that little freak." He knew he was outnumbered but sheer ignorance and greed fuelled his actions. He cocked the gun. Carol whimpered and Peggy tried to wrap an arm around her, comforting her as best as she could without taking her eyes off the man. "Give her to me. Now!" His voice ripped through the air, making Peggy jump. A vein throbbed in his neck, his skin red and blotchy.

None of them moved an inch. Peggy stared straight back at him, straight down the barrel of the gun. She couldn't predict what he would do, but she knew for certain that she would not let him get his hands on Carol. The man bared his teeth like an animal.

A gunshot is the loudest sound in the universe. It hits you as hard as the bullet being fired. It makes your teeth shake and your eyes squeeze shut. Peggy had never experienced anything like it before. She hoped never to experience it again. Despite being a mere foot away from point-blank range, the bullet never found its target. Unbeknownst to the man, Peter had slipped his goggles over his eyes before he'd even pulled the trigger.

He grabbed Peggy first, moving her through the house and out onto the kerb. She was shortly joined by Carol. He placed Kurt carefully beside Peggy. He was about to go back for the man, whoever he was, but Peter had an idea he wanted to try out first. He repositioned Peggy then sped back into the garden. Peter flicked the bullet so its trajectory veered off to the right then grabbed the man's belt and whipped it off, flinging it into the branches of the tree behind him. Finally, Peter slipped the lunatic's wallet from his pocket, tugged down his jeans and rejoined his friends out front. All this before anyone could blink an eye.

He came to a stop and time seemed to start up again. Carol stumbled but he caught her just in time. Just as he'd planned, Peggy fell into Kurt's open arms. She let out a groan, her eyes squeezing shut as a queasy feeling washed over her. That was to be expected, travelling via Peter always had the same effect. He would've assured her that the motion sickness wore off after a few moments but Peggy seemed preoccupied. Kurt was holding her up, his arms wrapped tight around her waist. It took her a few moments to realise the position they were in, then Peggy just stared up at Kurt in stunned silence.

"Are you okay?" Although he was very much enjoying the feeling of Peggy pressed tight against him, his number one priority was her safety. She merely nodded back, finding herself speechless. Peter stared at his friends. He couldn't believe it had actually worked. Moreover, he couldn't believe that they still hadn't moved away from each other. Peggy had her hands flat against Kurt's chest and their faces were inches apart. Peggy seemed greatly overwhelmed by the whole thing and Peter knew that Kurt was holding back a tidal wave of inappropriate thoughts. Oh, he'd have to tell Scott about this.

"What just happened?" Carol's question broke the silence. Kurt slipped his hands away from her hips and Peggy finally came to her senses. She stepped away, silently cursing Kurt for exacerbating her already spinning head. Peter would have to explain his heroic act later. Right now, they needed to move. The man would be confused by their blink-and-you'll-miss-it exit but it wouldn't take him long to look out front.

"We've gotta go. C'mon." Peter urged his friends, gesturing for them to follow him back down the street. They didn't have to be told twice. They took off towards the harbour, not risking a glance back at the old house. Peter would have taken them back to the jet but he didn't want to waste his strength. If he kept up his inhuman pace for too long, he'd wear himself out and then he'd be unable to protect his teammates and Carol.

Peggy was grateful for the island's minuscule size. She'd certainly got a lot fitter after a month of training but running wasn't her strong suit. She was gasping for breath by the time they reached the marina. Luckily, the group soon stopped to get their bearings. Peggy put her hands on her knees, closing her eyes as she tried to get her thoughts in order. Some nutter was after Carol. Now he was after them. She couldn't help thinking that her first mission hadn't got off to the best of starts.

"Carl Kinnerman. Professional asshole." Peter's voice made her straighten up again. He was rifling through a wallet, drawing out card after card and dropping them to the floor at his feet. He held up a driver's license and Peggy recognised the identification photograph. She would know those frightening eyes anywhere.

"You nicked his wallet?" She couldn't believe that amongst all the panic of the last few minutes, Peter had found the time for petty thievery. He shot her a broad grin as he tucked the ID into his pocket, along with a handful of cash. Usually, she wouldn't condone such a thing but this guy really deserved it.

"He's coming!" Carol suddenly shrieked, pointing down the street. The X-Men whipped around to see for themselves. Sure enough, Carl Kinnerman, as they now knew him to be, was pacing towards them at a speed unnatural for his size. Peter lobbed the now empty wallet into the ocean.

"Kurt!" He cried but his friend's hand was already on his shoulder. Carl was getting closer and closer but they had the upper hand. Kurt pulled Peggy against his chest and instructed her to put her arms around his neck. There was no time to be embarrassed so Peggy did as she was told, trusting her friend without a second thought. Kurt put a hand on Carol's shoulder and closed his eyes. Carl was meters away when they disappeared in a whoosh of blue smoke.

Her feet hit the ground hard and Peggy let out a grunt of surprise. They were on the tarmac again, underneath the wing of the jet. Kurt let go of his passengers and opened his eyes, sucking in a deep breath to clear his swimming head. He had trained extensively with Hank and now he could transport multiple people without passing out. It still took a lot of energy and he felt faint for a second or two.

It probably had nothing to do with the fact that Peggy still had her arms around his neck but he couldn't be sure. Again, her face was very close to his. Her lips were moving but Kurt couldn't hear what she was saying. Her expression was drawn with concern. His head finally cleared and Kurt realised she was asking him if he was feeling alright. He offered her a tiny smile and nodded. Peggy unlaced her fingers but kept the contact, smoothing her hands around until she could squeeze his shoulders.

"Where's Hank?" Peggy and Kurt looked around to see Peter sticking his head out of the open door to the jet. How he'd gotten it open they had no idea. They looked around the tarmac strip, just in case Hank was waiting for them elsewhere. But no, their pilot was nowhere in sight. Peggy and Kurt joined Peter inside the jet and stared at the empty cockpit. Carol was already seated, buckled in and ready to go but it looked like they wouldn't be leaving for a while yet. Peggy glanced at her watch and twisted her lips.

"We're still early." Hank said to meet him back at the jet by three at the latest. It had only just passed two. "He's probably gone for a walk or something." Peter wheeled around, his eyes wide.

"Gone for a walk?!" Peggy somehow managed to shrug with her whole body, her arms out wide at her sides.

"Well, I don't know!"

"Guys, we should suit up." Kurt put in before an argument escalated. Peter considered his suggestion for a moment before nodding seriously. They didn't know where Hank had gone, they also didn't know how long it would be before he came back. They had a guy with a gun and no morals after them, they would be much safer if they put on their armour. The boys went to the back of the jet, leaving Peggy alone and confused. She made sure that Carol was alright before she hurried after them to the tail of the plane.

"What do you-" Peggy stopped her own words as she watched Peter reach for a keypad on the wall. He typed in a four-digit code she was too bewildered to think to memorise then stepped back. Peggy followed his lead, keeping clear even though she didn't know what of. The wall hissed and slid away to reveal a number of compartments. In each of the slots was a suit of armour, similar to the lockers Hank kept in his lab. Peggy barely held back a gasp. "Well, that's fortunate." She murmured instead.

She thought she saw Peter smirk before he stepped forward and retrieved the suit under the name 'Quicksilver'. Kurt gathered his own armour up, watching Peggy out of the corner of his eye. She was studying one of the compartments with a strange little smile on her face. She grabbed her suit then followed Peter back out onto the tarmac. Kurt went to join them, glancing up at her compartment as he went, wondering what had made her smile. On the end of the row, just above head height, the words 'Lyre Lyre' were printed in metallic capital letters. Kurt allowed himself a proud smile before he stepped off the jet.

They decided quickly that Kurt and Peter would get changed behind the jet whilst Peggy remained inside where she could keep an eye on Carol. They still didn't know what powers the little girl possessed, they didn't want to leave her on her own for too long. Peggy ventured back into the jet and closed the door behind her. It wasn't that she didn't trust her friends, but she had a feeling that Peter was the kind of guy who would walk in on her in her underwear and claim it was an accident. She spent the next few minutes debating with herself on whether it would be great or awful if Kurt were to walk in. Thankfully, Carol asked her a question before she got too wrapped up in that train of thought.

"Who exactly are you people?" Peggy looked up from the suit in her hands. Carol was still strapped into her seat, her gaze swapping curiously between Peggy and her armour. She realised they hadn't had a chance to explain. Peggy placed her suit down so she could start getting changed.

"We're the X-Men." She said simply, smiling to herself. It was the first time that she'd said it aloud. She was officially a part of the team, something that seemed impossible only a month ago. Carol wrinkled her nose a little.

"Men?"

"I know, don't get me started." Peggy muttered, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. She'd have to talk to the Professor about that. She glanced back at Carol before gathering her suit up again and stepping around a slight corner in the jet. She wasn't embarrassed or anything, but she'd only just met the girl and alright, fine, she didn't have the nicest underwear on. "We go to a school for mutants. That's people with special powers, like me and you." She raised her voice a little so that Carol could still hear her.

"I know. I saw that lady on the TV." Peggy chuckled as she pulled her dress over her head. Practically everyone on the planet, mutant or otherwise, saw Mystique on the news in all her blue glory. The world hadn't been the same since, mostly for the better. But there were still those, like Carl Kinnerman, who wanted to harm them. Peggy couldn't get his wild eyes out of her head. She could still hear the gunshot ringing in her ears, even if Peter had managed to sweep her out of the way in time. "Do you know her?"

"She's my teacher." Peggy was proud to know Raven. She was still tremendously intimidating but they were close now. She wouldn't call them friends but they worked hard in training together and Peggy trusted her with her life.

"Why are you here?" Carol liked to ask questions. Peggy thought it was endearing. She began to explain as she stepped into the armour. It was like a jumpsuit in design so it slipped on easily. Peggy pulled it up and over her body, slipping her arms inside then zipping it up. Hank had once told her that all their armour was impermeable to bullets and pretty much any other kind of weapon. She ran a hand over the material on her arm. It was like wearing a wetsuit, she didn't know if it could possibly be as strong as Hank claimed.

"We came to invite you to the school." Peggy said once she was sure she was suited up properly. She stepped out from her hiding spot and went to place her dress and impractical shoes in her locker. She grabbed the heavy pair of boots from the bottom of the compartment and went to sit down opposite Carol. "You can learn to control your mutation safely." Peggy laced up the boots then stood again, gesturing for Carol to follow her outside. The girl unbuckled herself and jumped down from the seat.

"Do I get to wear something like that?" She asked, eyeing her suit enviously, making Peggy laugh.

"If you're lucky." They trampled down the ramp and waited for Kurt and Peter to emerge. The wind off the sea picked up and played with Peggy's hair. She quickly swept it up into a ponytail, brushing a few of the shorter hairs behind her ears. The sun had gone behind a cloud making the temperature drop considerably. She'd complained about the heat earlier and Peter had laughed, telling her it was only 84°. Peggy was shocked at first before she remembered he meant Fahrenheit. Now though, she couldn't feel the cold. Hank's suits were temperature controlled. She would have to thank him later.

Where _was_ Hank? It was a tiny island, where was there to go? She didn't have time to ponder over it for long because the sound of Kurt and Peter's chattering grew louder and louder until they rounded the jet. She smiled at the sight of them in their suits. Peter's was silver, of course, with a large X over his chest. He'd kept his trademark goggles. She tried her best not to look at Kurt for fear of turning bright red. "Okay, what's the plan?" Peggy asked, raising her eyebrows at Peter specifically. He was supposed to be in charge, after all. A horrifying thought.

"Peggy!" Kurt practically squeaked. When she frowned at him, his face flushed a dark shade of violet. He couldn't help being shocked, she looked outstanding. The X-Men suits made the team look and feel powerful. Peggy looked this and more. The material was close to her body, outlining her shape in ways he could only have dreamed of. And oh, had he dreamed. "You look... Ich kann nicht… I mean, you look..." He stammered, unable to keep the smile from his face.

Peggy seemed to catch on to where he was heading and felt her face grow hot. Her uniform was comfortable but the synthetic material clung close to her skin. Her mother definitely wouldn't approve, although Kurt certainly seemed to like it. He didn't look so bad himself. She was right, there was just _something_ about these suits. Peggy let her gaze drift over the red and black uniform, making a mental note of his slim waist, the high revealing collar, and his surprising amount of muscle. He looked good, to say the least.

"You too." She replied, a sly smile sliding into place. Peter looked between his teammates with clear disgust. He wrinkled his nose when Kurt's smile turned all dopey again. Peter looked down and saw that Carol was also looking at Kurt and Peggy. He caught her eye and stuck out his tongue. Carol giggled and it broke whatever tension had settled between his friends.

"Oh, my God." Peter groaned, rolling his eyes so hard that they practically turned back into his head. "Can you _please_ keep your hormones to yourselves for five minutes?" Peggy cleared her throat and looked down at Carol, aiming to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Carol, have you ever seen that man before? Do you know the name Carl Kinnerman?" She asked the girl, hoping to clear up at least one of the many mysterious they were faced with, but Carol shook her head. Peggy bit her lip, thinking hard. "He said he _bought_ her." Peter grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I've heard about this sort of thing. People buying mutants and selling them on." He spoke softly, not wanting Carol to hear. He didn't want to frighten her. Anti-mutant propaganda was terrifying, especially to their youngest students. One of Professor Xavier's main goals was ensuring that the kids knew there was so much that was good about being a mutant. It was easier these days, but then people like Carl Kinnerman reminded them that there was still a lot of work to do.

"What?" Peggy's voice dropped to an inadvertent whisper. She'd never heard of anything so awful. Peter's stance was relaxed but his forehead was all creased up with loathing.

"It's true." Kurt murmured when he didn't say anything. Peggy's wide eyes turned to him and he found it hard to meet them. It had happened to him. Sold from the circus to an underground fight club. Peggy didn't know that about him yet. He didn't know whether he should tell her. She would never judge him, he knew that, but would she look at him differently? He hated the idea of being pitied. Peggy felt sick. Carl said he'd paid good money for the girl. Had Carol's uncle sold her? It was an awful thought but how else could such a deal be arranged?

"We can't stay here." Peter's voice was stronger now. "We'll lead him back to the jet." As he spoke, he looked over his shoulder. They were exposed out in the open. The suits provided protection but they also made them stick out like three sore thumbs. 271 people on the whole island, all Carl had to do was ask if anyone had seen a blue kid and they were done for.

The X-Men agreed the best course of action would be to keep moving. On an island as small as this, Carl would find them in no time if they stayed in one spot. They could only hope that Hank would be back soon. They set off back down East Lakeshore Drive until they found a little side road they could hide in. They followed the lane north, heading away from the harbour where they had last seen Carl.

After a little while, Carol began to ask questions again. They told her all about the school and about the mansion itself. Kurt described the gardens and the lake in great detail which made Peggy smile to herself. Peter saw her and rolled his eyes. She asked him what she'd done that was so funny and he merely shook his head, though he was smiling too.

"Where is it?" This question Carol directed to Peggy. They were walking single file down a little alleyway. Peter led the way, followed by Peggy, then Carol with Kurt bringing up the rear. He was more than happy with his position, his sharp hearing would let them know if they were being followed. The only problem was that it was very difficult not to stare at Peggy's behind, which looked infuriatingly good in her suit. Thankfully, Carol blocked most of his view. Peggy looked around over her shoulder and smiled down at Carol. They were doing their best to keep her calm, even though their own hearts were pounding.

"Westchester, New York." Carol thought about this for moment before she asked,

"Would I have to leave my home?" Before Peggy could respond, Peter came to halt. They had reached a dead end. Peter kissed his teeth and turned on his heel. He looked around until he spotted a side alley they could go down instead. Carol followed him dutifully. She seemed to like Peter, she thought he was funny. Peggy whispered to Kurt about the girl's poor judge of character and he chuckled quietly. Except now Peggy was right in front of him and it was getting harder and harder not to stare. Kurt glanced skywards, praying for strength.

"Only if you want to." Peggy continued, giving the girl a little pat on the shoulder, hoping to show her that there was no pressure to decide. The girl had no family left but that didn't mean she had to come with them. It would be sad to see Carol swept into the system but they couldn't force her to enrol at Xavier's school if she didn't want to.

"I do! I want to go!" Carol said quickly, putting Peggy's worries to rest as swiftly as they had surfaced. "My uncle, he isn't very nice to me." Peter stiffened. He glanced back at Peggy and saw that her jaw was tight. Their gazes met and he gave her a little nod, indicating that she should press the matter further. Peggy swallowed thickly before she plucked up the courage to ask,

"What do you mean?" Carol's head was down, but she couldn't tell if it was because she was trying to avoid all of the rubbish that littered the alley floor, or whether she was uncomfortable talking about her uncle.

"My parents died last year." Carol said in a quiet voice. "They were in a car crash. I moved to the island in the fall." It hurt to know that such a young girl had faced so much sadness. Peggy glanced back at Kurt and saw he was listening intently to everything Carol was saying. "Uncle Jack, he was drunk a lot. Sometimes he hit me." Peter's jaw clenched. His opinion of Carl was already irreversibly low, but it looked like he was being pipped to the post by Carol's uncle. She reminded him of his little sisters, who he loved more than anything else in the whole world. He didn't want to imagine them suffering like Carol had. "I don't like it here. Are you going to take me away?" Carol looked up at Peggy with big brown eyes. She wouldn't have been able to say no, even if she wanted to.

"We're going to do everything we can." Peggy had every faith that they were going to get off this island safely with Carol in tow, but there was still so much danger. She didn't want to make a promise she couldn't keep. They emerged from the alleyway and found themselves on the other side of the marina. There were a few people buzzing around the harbour but they were still very much alone, apart from one lone figure in the near distance. Kurt kept his eyes on him as they began to walk in his direction. By the time his sharp eyes had discerned his face, it was already too late. He took Peter by the arm and pointed down the road.

"He found us." When Peter saw the unmistakable form of Carl Kinnerman coming their way, he let out a loud groan.

"This guy doesn't quit." Carol whimpered at the sight of the man and clung to Peter, burying her face in his side. He was getting closer by the second and they had nowhere to run to. Peter could very easily speed them to the other side of the island and Kurt could whisk them away in the blink of an eye, but that wouldn't solve their problems or answer any of their questions. Peggy decided very quickly that she would take matters into her own hands.

"Peter, take Carol somewhere safe." She ordered, not taking her eyes off Carl's lumbering form. Peter didn't wait around to ask questions. He scooped Carol up into his arms, placing a careful hand on the back of her head so that she wouldn't get hurt. He was gone in a flash of silver. Kurt looked to Peggy, hoping that she had a plan because he was drawing a blank. To his great surprise, she raised her hands above her head and waved at Carl, who was now only ten meters away. "Oi!" She cried, then stuck both her middle fingers up. Okay, that was not what he had in mind. Peggy flashed him a grin then took off down the alleyway, back the way they'd just come through.

"No, Peggy! Komm zurück!" Kurt tried to stop her but when he looked back, Carl was almost upon him. He cursed under his breath and teleported into the alleyway, almost tripping Peggy up when he appeared in front of her. She grabbed his arm and guided him through the maze of back alleys, following the map she'd made in her head. Her memory was outstanding but she wasn't sure whether the adrenaline coursing through her would help or hinder her. Carl's huge feet pounded the cement behind them and Peggy let go of Kurt's arm. They had his attention, now she just had to hope that her plan would work.

They soon arrived back at the dead end they found not five minutes ago. Peggy came to an abrupt halt, trying to catch her breath before Carl caught up with them. Kurt wanted to question her but they were out of time. Carl stumbled around the final corner and loomed over them, practically blocking out the slowly setting sun. Kurt took a nervous step backwards but Peggy did the opposite. She jumped forward and slammed her foot into the side of Carl's knee before he knew what was happening. He shrieked and fell to one knee, which Peggy used to her advantage. She jammed her elbow hard between his shoulder blades and Carl fell like a stack of bricks. Raven had taught her well.

"Who are you?" Carl merely continued to groan and quiver. Peggy waited for all of three seconds before she delivered a swift punch to his nose. Kurt was impressed by her skills, her training was certainly going well. It was pretty damn hot, if he was honest. "I asked you a question." This man had attempted to kidnap a little girl, threatened her and her friends, and chased them all over the island. But worst of all, he called Kurt a freak and that was unforgivable. Carl clutched at his nose, wheezing and whining.

"I work for a guy, we run a mutant trade." He gasped out, then began to complain again. Peggy's jaw fell open. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"You're selling people?" Her voice lost its ferocity. She stared down at the man before her, unable to believe that a person could do such a thing. Carl got to one knee, clutching the other between his meaty hands.

"You're not people." He growled, narrowing his eyes up at her. "Your kind, you're less than dirt." He spat at the ground before her feet and Peggy's anger flared again. She stepped forward to strike him but Carl suddenly lashed out and swept her off her feet. Her back hit the concrete floor so hard that it winded her.

"Peggy!" Kurt immediately rushed to help her up but Carl moved with surprising speed. He swung his huge fist and it caught Kurt in the eye. Before he could react, Carl jumped, shoving him hard against the brick wall. Kurt was so shocked, he couldn't concentrate to teleport. He let out a groan as his spine throbbed, both his back and his neck screaming in pain. Carl drew the gun from his pocket. Kurt felt dizzy, he couldn't see straight, but he could make out Carl and the unmistakable shape of a gun just a foot from his face.

"Mutie scum." Carl muttered, spitting out the slur as he lined up the shot. Peggy groaned in pain and turned her head to see Carl looming over Kurt. She saw the gun in his hand and her heart leapt. She was on her feet in moments.

"Kurt!" Without a second thought, she jumped in front of the gun, clutching her friend to her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, just waiting for the explosive noise of a bullet and then the impact... But it never came.

"What the..?" She heard Carl gasp but didn't dare open her eyes, not yet. The bullet could strike her at any moment. Peggy could feel Kurt's chest rising and falling heavily against her own. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his middle, his hands on her lower back. Peggy rested her head against Kurt's shoulder and prayed and prayed and prayed.

Then the inexplicable happened. She heard Carl mutter to himself. She couldn't make out what he was saying but it wasn't important. Then she heard him walk back down the alley. Kurt watched the hulking man turn the corner and finally let out the breath he'd been holding. What on Earth...? There was no way that Carl had just changed his mind, men like him weren't so easily persuaded. Then he remembered who was clutching him tight.

"We're invisible?" He breathed, looking down at the girl in his arms. Peggy finally opened her eyes and raised her head from his shoulder. Her skin felt warm and like she had goosebumps all at once. The sensation was second nature to her now.

"Camouflaged." Her survival instincts had kicked in, her mutation springing into life to keep her out of harm. But Kurt had disappeared from sight too.

"Did you know you could do that?" Peggy shook her head. She'd never made anyone else disappear before. She wasn't even aware that she was able to. Hank was going to have a field day. But then again, maybe he already had an inkling.

"Hank said my suit would be able to disappear with me." Peggy remembered the first time Hank had shown her the armour she was currently wearing. He'd developed a whole new material just for her. Or, perhaps not. "He must've upgraded yours as well." She realised, sending a prayer of thanks to Hank and his gift of foresight, wherever the hell he was. Kurt could feel his laboured breathing slowly returning to normal. He let out a quiet chuckle.

"I'm very glad that he did." He held her gaze for a moment. His eyes practically glowed in the dying light. Peggy wished she could look away. Recently she had been trying very hard not to think about Kurt romantically, fearing that she might do or say something stupid and ruin their friendship, but right now their position was anything but platonic. She saw his jaw clench and he dropped his gaze. He could have lost her. She had acted so recklessly...

Kurt slid his hands from her back to hold her tightly by the elbows. "Tu das nie wieder." He told her firmly. Peggy was surprised by the severity of his tone. Her lips parted but her attempts to defend her actions died on her tongue when Kurt's gaze met hers again. He wasn't angry, in fact, he almost looked afraid. To her surprise, he pulled her against him in a tight hug. She had never been so close to him. "Peggy, you-"

There was so much that he wanted to tell her. _You're my best friend. I care about you more than anything. You mean the world to me_. But the adrenaline had retreated and his courage waned with it. Peggy carefully pulled away but she didn't go far. She looked up at him expectantly, still so close that he could reach forward and kiss her. Kurt sighed and gave her a weak smile. "Let's find Peter."

Peggy's shoulders lowered, disappointment clear on her face. She wasn't sure what he'd wanted to say but she knew that wasn't it. Peggy slowly removed her hands from around his waist and Kurt felt a peculiar warmth wash over his skin. He knew that meant he was visible again. A moment later, Peggy shimmered into existence in front of him. Without a word, they left the alleyway.

It didn't take too long to track down Peter. He and Carol were hiding under the pier, watching the steadily approaching tide while they waited for their friends. Peter looked around when he heard hurried footsteps on the wooden promenade above them. He cautiously poked his head out from under the pier and saw his friends. Kurt put a hand on Peggy's shoulder and with a **BAMF** they arrived beside him. Carol coughed when she was suddenly enshrouded by blue smoke without warning and Kurt apologised sheepishly.

"Are you guys okay?" Peter asked, leading them further under the pier so that they were hidden from view. Kurt began to explain all that had transpired in the last few minutes, including what they had learned about Carl. Peter and Carol listened in rapt silence, looking just as horrified as Peggy must have done. She let Kurt do the talking as she eyed their surroundings.

The pier was enormous, stretching far out to sea. The wood was cracked and old and flaking but still strong. There was one just like it at the beach near her home, except there were roller coasters and amusements at the end. The one that sheltered their odd little group was empty apart from a few telescopes and one or two tourists. "We need to get off the island." Peter said firmly, surmising what they were all thinking. Letting Carl chase them around was pointless but they had no way of checking if Hank was back yet without leading him to the jet. Carl wasn't going to give up, but then, neither were they. Peter was just about to suggest commandeering a boat when Carol piped up.

"We can take the ferry." She suggested. The X-Men all stared at her in surprise and she gave a little shrug. "It's how I get to school every day." Peter exchanged glances with his friends, they were all a little embarrassed that they hadn't thought of that. The ferry carried tourists to and from the mainland every hour, on the hour. Glancing at her watch, Peggy realised they only had a couple of minutes before the boat left. She hated to ask him to use his powers but they would miss the ferry if Kurt didn't teleport them. He agreed without hesitation, so Peggy wrapped an arm around his waist while he placed a hand on Carol and Peter's shoulders.

They arrived at the marina, the ferry port not far off. They began to run but before they could get very far, a man stepped in front of them. Carol cried out and immediately hid behind Peter. Carl had looked scary before but now, with his broken nose and bloodshot eyes, he looked downright terrifying. Kurt immediately stepped to Peggy's side. He knew she could defend herself but he would never let her fight alone again.

"I've had enough of slimy, disgusting, filthy mutants." With each insult, Carl took a huge step forward. He was so large, it felt like they were being hunted by a wild animal. Peggy looked around them, wondering why they hadn't attracted the attention of the islanders, but there was no one around. They were all on the jetty, boarding the ferry. Another minute and it would set sail, leaving them stranded on an island with a maniac. "Give me the girl." Carl growled, holding out his hand. The X-Men stood their ground. Peter reached behind him and put a hand on Carol's shoulder, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

Carl's gaze swept over each of them slowly, calculatingly. Then at last, he drew his gun again. Peggy instinctively took a step backwards. Why couldn't Peter have taken the gun instead of Carl's wallet? He would claim it was a heat of the moment decision but she silently damned him and his warped priorities anyway. "Give her to me." Carl cocked the gun and Kurt heard Peggy's sharp intake of breath. "I don't miss twice." Peggy believed him. There was a rush of wind and a silver haze enveloped Carl. Before she knew it, Peter had the gun and had tossed it into the ocean. They didn't wait around to see Carl's reaction.

They took off in the opposite direction to the ferry, just wanting to get away from the man. Maybe they could double back, perhaps even run along the beach, anything to get to the ferry port and keep Carol as far away from Carl as possible. But their hopes of salvation vanished as a rumbling air horn rolled through the marina. Peggy looked over her shoulder and saw that all the passengers were boarded. The ferry was leaving without them.

She heard Peter swear loudly. They needed a new plan and fast. Carl was enormous but he moved quickly. It wouldn't be long before he gained on them. They didn't want to fight unless it was absolutely necessary. Despite their extensive training, Peggy and Kurt were only eighteen, barely even adults. Peter didn't want to endanger them. His mind was racing as fast as his heart as he tried to come up with a way out. They passed another jetty, decorated with brightly coloured sailboats. Peter suddenly dug in his heels, putting on the brakes.

"I think I have a plan." He cried, making Peggy and Kurt skid to a halt. Peter quickly explained his idea and they nodded to show they understood. They jogged along the dock and each of them dived into a different sailboat. Peggy chose the one closest to the promenade, it was imperative that Carl could hear her. She tore off the tarpaulin and wriggled behind the wheel until she was out of sight. She tucked her knees against her chest just in time.

Peggy heard the unmistakable thudding of Carl's heavy footsteps along the boardwalk. He was breathing heavily, it took a lot of effort to move his enormous body. She waited with a pounding heart as his wheezing grew louder and louder. She turned her head and peeked out from behind the wheel. She saw Peter stick his head up over the side of the boat he was hiding in, watching Carl move about above her head. He gave her the signal and ducked for cover again. _Alright, it's now or never._ Peggy collected her scattered thoughts and opened her mouth.

"I'm so glad we got away from that man. He was so ugly and stupid." She called out, borrowing Carol's voice. Her brain had stored away the pitch and intonations of the little girl's speech without her even thinking about it. Now, it was going to save them. "I can't wait to tell everyone about his human trafficking ring. What a bozo." Peggy looked around at Peter to see if Carl was listening.

He poked his head out from his hiding place and gave her a dubious look. Trust him to risk being discovered just to tell her that he thought her performance was lame. She shrugged, mouthing 'what?' He merely rolled his eyes. Peggy scoffed but would have to argue with him later. Carl had stepped onto the jetty. His footsteps made the little pier shudder, the wood creaking worryingly. There was an agonising silence as they waited for him to step into position. Then Peggy heard Peter yell,

"Now!" They sprang from their hiding places, hoping that the element of surprise would give them the advantage. It seemed to do the trick. Peggy rushed forward, aiming for his knees, but one of Carl's windmilling arms swung her way and his enormous fist caught her full on the mouth. She fell to the floor. Carl staggered back and got his feet caught up in a pile of rope left behind by the sailors.

Kurt teleported in front of him and struck him hard in the jaw, then with another **BAMF** he was behind Carl. He kicked him in the back of the knees and the man swayed like a felled tree then tumbled into a little speedboat. Kurt jumped in after him, intending to deal the final blow and then let Peter rush in to tie him up. But Carl had finally come to his senses. As Kurt reached towards him, Carl suddenly pulled a long, jagged knife from his boot. Kurt tried to back away but the sea made the little boat rock, causing him to fall forward onto Carl. Peggy heard him cry out in pain and felt her blood run cold.

"Kurt!" She shrieked, immediately rushing forward to help him. She didn't care about the plan or about Carl and the knife he wielded. Every fibre of her being was concentrated on getting Kurt to safety. She grabbed him by the scruff of his suit and jerked him away from Carl. He was heavy but fear made her strong. Peggy hooked her hands under his arms and tugged him over the side of the boat onto the jetty. She thought she saw Peter rush past her into the speedboat but nothing could have dragged her attention away from Kurt.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." He muttered breathlessly, a hand clutched to his chest. Peggy made sure he was clear of the boat before she leaned over him, checking for injuries. Her eyes immediately found the startling red sheen of blood escaping from underneath Kurt's palm. She carefully pried his hand away from his chest and saw that Carl had managed to stab Kurt through the open neck of his armour.

"Oh, shit." She breathed, but Kurt shook his head. His injury was minimal, the knife hadn't hit anything important. There was some blood but he could breathe and more importantly, he could fight.

"It's nothing." He tried to get to his feet but Peggy pushed him back down onto the jetty, not even trying to be gentle. He frowned up at her, his hand resting on his chest again to stem the bleeding. "We need to help Peter!"

"I think he's doing just fine on his own." Peggy pointed over her shoulder. Carl was enveloped again by a haze of silver as Peter rushed about the boat, dealing punch after punch. Once Carl was down, he started up the engine. Peter grabbed the rope from around Carl's feet and wrapped it around the accelerator. With one sharp tug, the boat roared into life and sped off down the jetty. Peter jumped off just before it left the marina but Carl was still stunned from his beating. He was halfway out to sea by the time he realised what had happened.

Peter lay on his back on the jetty, letting out a delirious laugh. It had been a long shot but somehow, his ridiculous plan had worked. Peggy began to chuckle as she watched Peter clutch his stomach, his whole body shaking with laughter. Beneath her, Kurt was smiling widely, his eyes closed. They were safe. The last of the day's sunlight warmed his skin, putting him so at ease that the sharp pain in his chest mellowed to a dull throb.

The speedboat careened over the water which was quickly getting choppier. Peggy's laughter began to fade as she watched the boat arc over a tall wave and come crashing back down again. Then suddenly, one wave began to swell, rising higher and higher until it towered over the others, about the size of a house. The speedboat carrying Carl Kinnerman skirted up the wave then all of a sudden, it folded in on itself and swallowed the boat whole.

The sea settled again, lying flat and calm as if nothing had happened. Peggy heard Peter let out a low whistle and turned to see him staring at Carol. She was standing in one of the boats, her little arms stuck straight out in front of her. Peggy watched in awe as Carol lowered her hands, sucking in a deep breath. The little girl turned to the X-Men and gave them a shy smile.

* * *

When they trudged up East Lakeshore Drive for the last time, they were all hungry and battered and shaking. Hank was waiting for them by the jet. He began to apologise as soon as he saw them. Apparently, the Professor had tried to contact him, so Hank had spent the best part of the afternoon walking around the island, attempting to get a better signal on his communicator. Peter explained everything as succinctly as possible: Carol's uncle, Carl, his unsavoury occupation, the whole shebang. He just wanted a lie-down, they all did. Hank sensed they were exhausted so he let them board the jet without too many questions. He promised to debrief them tomorrow instead, after they had all recuperated.

Kurt collapsed into one of the seats with a long groan. He'd changed out of his suit. It felt good to be back in his own clothes but it only made him want his bed more. Peter flopped down opposite him soon after. Carol was up front talking to Hank. They hadn't told him about the girl's mutation, they thought he might enjoy discovering it for himself. Kurt's ears pricked when he heard footsteps on the metal floor but he didn't open his eyes. He breathed in slowly, letting his muscles relax. He thought about taking a nap on the flight back, he'd certainly earned one. Someone cleared their throat but he was too comfortable to move.

"Take your shirt off." Okay, that got his intention. Kurt cracked an eye open to find Peggy standing in front of him. She had changed back into that frankly divine blue dress and was fiddling with a little bag. Was this... Was this a dream? Maybe he was more tired than he thought and had already drifted off without noticing. That was the only plausible explanation for why Peggy could be standing in front of him saying those words. He resisted pinching himself.

"What?" He stammered instead. Across from him, Peter was watching them with interest, clearly pleased with the unexpected entertainment. Peggy looked up from the bag and saw the shocked look on his face.

"Oh, sorry." She didn't seem to realise the connotations of her words. "Please?" Kurt would've laughed if the situation weren't quite so dire. He didn't dare look at Peter.

"Why do I..? What are you..?" He tried to ask but his nerves made the words come out all jumbled. How was he supposed to remember his English when she was asking him to undress? Peggy smiled at his stammering and raised the little green bag. He saw the white cross on the front and immediately understood.

"Hank gave me this." She plunked the bag down on the seat next to his. "I'm supposed to check on your horrific wound." Peggy wriggled her fingers and made her eyes go wide to make him laugh. It worked and his shoulders relaxed a little. Kurt held her gaze for a second, trying to see if she was as nervous as he was. There was no hint of apprehension on her face but then again, she wasn't the one who was going to be half-naked. Kurt finally caught the hem of his shirt and started to pull it up.

"Do you know what you're doing?" He asked, just before he reached behind him for the scruff of his shirt and pulled the material over his head. Peggy shrugged even though he couldn't see her, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. She was trying very hard not to stare.

"How hard can it be?" That didn't exactly inspire confidence. Kurt kept his eyes down as he carefully laid his shirt on the seat next to him. His hair was sticking up a little which was just plain adorable. Peggy swallowed thickly, hoping that he didn't hear it. It was nothing she hadn't seen before, but this was _Kurt_. Sweet, kind, funny, ridiculously attractive Kurt. He was so _blue,_ and she wasn't surprised to find the patterns that marked his face also curled across his chest and stomach.

Peggy crouched down in front of him and leaned in close to check the damage done. All of her wild thoughts came to a standstill at the sight of his injury. The cut wasn't deep but it was long, arcing from just below Kurt's jugular to the top of his sternum. He was a lucky guy. "Bloody hell." She muttered to herself. This was a little more complex than her rudimentary skills could deal with but she wasn't deterred. Kurt gritted his teeth when he felt her fingers prod at the skin around his wound. He saw Peter wiggling his eyebrows at him over the top of Peggy's head and had to look away, afraid that he'd start to laugh.

Peggy hummed to herself, eyeing the cut as she tried to remember what little first aid her mother had taught her. Kurt watched her closely as she unzipped the green bag and rifled through it. He could see that determined look on her face, her forehead creasing slightly in concentration. He loved that look, it meant she had a plan and she wasn't going to give up anytime soon. He began to relax, leaning his head back against the seat. Peter watched them with a little smile. Oh, he wasn't going to stop teasing Kurt about this for a long, long time.

"Do you want me to take my shirt off too?" He asked Peggy, sitting up so he could shrug off his jacket. Peggy didn't even have a chance to respond.

"No, Peter!" Came Hank's immediate reply, twisting around in his seat to give Peter a stern look. He raised his hands in surrender and sat back again, a wide grin on his face. Peggy smiled to herself. Peter was smug and arrogant and a show-off, but he was a good guy. She hoped she would have many more missions with him in the future.

She finally found what she was looking for and let out a happy little cry. She held up the bottle of iodine solution for Kurt to see and grinned. He chuckled at the expression on her face as she settled back down in front of him. Peggy pressed a cloth she'd found inside the bag to the top of the bottle then turned it upside down, just as she'd seen her parents do a hundred times, then reached up and held it close to Kurt's skin. She warned him that it might sting before pressing the cloth to the wound.

Kurt hissed slightly but didn't try to move away. He'd had worse pain and he didn't want to make Peggy's job any harder. She dabbed tentatively at first but as soon as Kurt's expression softened, she allowed herself to add more pressure. She watched his face constantly, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. He was touched by how attentive she was. Peggy didn't say a word as she cleaned up his wound, she was still silent when she reached for the right size dressing. She stuck down the plaster with nimble fingers then sat back to inspect her work.

"There. That should be alright." Then Peggy began to frown. "I mean, I dunno. I'm not a doctor." She added, partly because she wanted to make him laugh but also because she honestly had no clue if she'd done it right. "But it's not bleeding so that can only be good." She patted the dressing proudly and Kurt winced in pain. She quickly apologised and he laughed at the horrified expression on her face.

"Very reassuring." He raised his eyebrows at her but let out a soft groan when the skin around his eye smarted. Peggy immediately noticed and leaned in close to study his face, her amber brown eyes darting across his skin.

"You've got a bruise." Carl packed quite a punch. She hadn't noticed it because of the colour of his skin but now she was close enough, she could see the tell-tale black markings beginning to emerge. Behind her, Peter snorted.

"How can you tell?" He asked, then laughed at his own dumb joke. Peggy shot him a look. It appeared she had no sense of humour when it was at Kurt's expense, especially when he was hurt. He'd have to make a note of that. Peggy sighed and delved back into the first aid kit, pulling out a cold compress and replacing the iodine solution. She raised the little blue gel pack for him to see, silently asking if she could treat his eye. Kurt nodded so slightly that she almost missed it. She carefully pressed the pack to his skin, apologising again when the ice cold compress made him suck in a sharp breath.

"He really did a number on you, eh?" Peggy murmured, shaking her head slightly. She was furious with Carl. Just the thought of Kurt getting injured was enough to make her blood boil. It was her fault. He'd been trying to protect her. She knew that Kurt would never blame her, but Peggy felt guilt start to well heavily in her chest. Kurt smiled slightly at her words, unaware of her inner-turmoil.

"You can talk." He said softly, reaching up and pointing at her split lip. She hadn't even noticed it. His finger ghosted across her bottom lip, so light she almost couldn't feel it. Almost. Peggy's lips parted of their own accord, which was extremely embarrassing. She wished her heart would stop hammering. It was so quiet in the jet, he was bound to hear it. Peggy forced a smile as she repositioned the compress.

"Tough as old boots, me." She waved him off. In truth, her whole body ached. She wanted her bed more than anything in the world. Kurt winced slightly and she apologised for what was probably the thousandth time. "Sorry. Sorry." He could probably do this for himself but Kurt was enjoying the proximity far too much to say anything. Her free hand came up to rest on his other cheek, keeping his head still as she moved the cold compress again. Her fingers lay across his jaw, her thumb resting against his cheek. Kurt closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling before it was inevitably taken from him again. "Is that better?" He hummed and she knew that meant yes. He leaned against her hand and Peggy bit back a smile.

"Margarinely." He murmured, his eyes still closed. It took Peggy a second but when she finally registered what he'd said, she gave a breathy little laugh.

"Eh?" She asked, so quietly only he could hear it. Kurt opened one eye.

"Margarinely." He repeated, but Peggy still looked confused. "Like, a little bit more? I learned it the other day." Peggy frowned at him for another second before her expression brightened.

"Marginally." She corrected him, beginning to smile. "Margarine is like fake butter." Kurt felt his face start to burn and hoped she couldn't feel it with the hand that still cupped his cheek. He'd been told his English was practically perfect but that didn't mean he couldn't make mistakes now and then. He knew Peggy was laughing with him, not at him, and his embarrassment retreated a little.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. Peggy couldn't help brushing his fringe out of his eyes. It felt so natural, neither of them even registered it. Peter certainly noticed, though he made a grand effort not to say anything. Peggy repositioned the ice pack for the final time and Kurt didn't even blink. That meant the pain had subsided. Hopefully, the swelling would go down soon and he wouldn't end up with a black eye.

"It is also a name, yes?"

"Marjorie."

"Verdammt."

When she was done, Peggy returned the medical kit to Hank then came back and settled into the seat beside Kurt's. Hank told them to put their seatbelts on, they would be taking off in just a few minutes. Peggy sighed and closed her eyes. They stung at first but she ignored it and tried to put her mind at rest. The day had not gone as she'd predicted. It had been one hell of a first mission. At least, she supposed, she had a good story to tell her friends when they arrived back at the mansion. A yawn escaped her mouth and she reconsidered. She'd tell them tomorrow. She opened her eyes and looked over at Kurt. He looked like he might be asleep already.

"Kurt?" She whispered his name, just in case he was still awake. He opened one eye and gave her a sweet half-smile. She returned it without hesitation. "We were supposed to go to the cinema today." If it weren't for the impromptu mission, they would be on their way to the nearest mall right at that second. Kurt raised his head, looking thoughtful. He also seemed to have forgotten what day it was.

"We were." He agreed. "I was looking forward to it." Peggy let out a soft chuckle. She had been looking forward to it as well. Going to see the new Indiana Jones film would be great fun, but she'd been far more excited about spending time with Kurt on their sort-of date. There was a long pause, filled with the buzzing and whirring of the engines preparing for take-off.

"I think we should consider rescheduling." Peggy said, once the racket had dulled enough so that she wouldn't have to shout. Kurt looked at her for the longest time. The significance of her seemingly simple words resonated with him. After they made the plans a few days ago, Kurt realised that he and Jubilee had practically coerced her into it. But Peggy wanted to reschedule, she still wanted to go. It mattered to her. He didn't know why but the semantics made his chest squeeze. Peggy tried to figure out what he was thinking but his expression was indecipherable. He had this strange little smile, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I think you're right, nachtigall." He said after a moment.

The journey was short. Nobody said a word throughout the flight. Carol was curled up in the seat beside Peter, softly humming a tune under her breath. Peter smiled warmly down at the little girl. He hoped he saw more of her after she enrolled at the Institute, he'd grown rather fond of her. Carol stopped humming when Hank announced that they were around ten minutes away from the mansion. She looked up at Peter excitedly and he chuckled, tapping the end of her nose and making her laugh. She looked over at her other new friends to see if they were as excited as she was but giggled when she saw the position they were in.

Peter looked to where she pointed and rolled his eyes when he saw his friends. Peggy was curled up against Kurt's side despite her seatbelt. Her face was pressed into his shoulder while Kurt's head rested on top of hers. They were both fast asleep, not even the rumbling of a plane preparing for landing could wake them. Peter wished he had a camera, the guys were never going to believe him. Jubilee was going to have a field day.

The jet landed soon after with a whoosh and a jolt that unfortunately made the pair stir at last. They stumbled out of the plane, barely able to keep their eyes open. Peter made his goodbyes fairly quickly. He needed to get home and make sure that his sisters got to bed on time. Before he left, he promised Carol that he would visit soon.

Hank led the remaining students out of the hangar and into the school. He thanked Peggy and Kurt for all their hard work. They were to meet him tomorrow at eleven sharp to go over the details of their mission. They were so tired, they agreed just to get him to stop talking. Despite his exhaustion, Kurt accompanied Peggy all the way upstairs to her room. She tried to protest at first but he insisted and she was too tired to argue. They reached her bedroom door and Kurt opened his mouth to say goodnight but Peggy got there faster.

"Oh! Before I forget," She said brightly, suddenly feeling a lot more awake. "I've got something for you." She opened her bedroom door and rushed inside. Kurt was so exhausted it took him a moment to register exactly what she'd said.

"For me?" He stepped into the doorway. He didn't want to go into her room when she hadn't invited him but his curiosity was too great to wait out in the hall. Peggy was rooting through her desk drawer, making an awful racket as she did so. She let out a triumphant cry then came hurrying over.

"I made you this." She passed him something small and plastic. Kurt turned the object over in his hands and realised it was a cassette tape. On it were the words 'To Kurt, from Peggy'.

"A mixtape?" Peggy nodded hurriedly, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous.

"Jubilee helped me with it." She explained, her words coming out a mile a minute. "I meant to give it to you this morning but then the mission and..." She took a deep breath trying to calm herself down. "I know you like music and you're always looking for new stuff, so I thought I'd put some together. Most are songs I think you'll like but some are just ones that I really love and..." Peggy realised that Kurt was staring at her and her courage faltered. Oh, God, she was such a nerd. A mixtape? Peggy refrained from putting her head in her hands. She swallowed hard. "It's stupid really, you don't have to..." She knew she was blushing. She tried to take the tape back but Kurt held it out of her reach.

"No, no, this is brilliant." He said with a broad smile. "Thank you, Peggy." She blinked at him, surprised by his enthusiasm. She had worked hard on the tape. There were songs on it that she loved and songs that reminded her of Kurt. If she was being completely honest, it was her way of showing that she cared about him. This Peggy would never admit out loud.

"Well, it's not all that." She mumbled, unable to look him in the eye for fear of turning an even worse shade of red. "But you're welcome, I suppose." Kurt was still smiling at her and it was pretty bloody wonderful, but he was making her knees all wobbly. Peggy cleared her throat and smoothed her hands over the front of her dress just for something to do. "Thanks again for basically saving my life, it's much appreciated." She knew Kurt was mad at her for taking off so suddenly and putting herself in danger. If he hadn't stepped in, she'd be a goner. Kurt didn't seem angry now. In fact, he gave a low laugh that she felt vibrating in her own chest.

"It's okay. I know I'm your hero, you don't have to say it." He grinned wickedly. Peggy's mouth fell open but she was laughing before she could chide him.

"That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, gorgeous." She muttered instead, shaking her head slightly at the floor. Kurt was momentarily dazzled by the term of endearment but he tried not to show it. His smile grew and he raised his eyebrows.

"I do hope so." Peggy looked up at him again, the faintest hint of a smirk on her red lips. He thought she might fire back something clever as she always did but instead, she merely smiled. To distract himself, Kurt added, "Thank you for saving _my_ life." He would never forget that Peggy had stepped in front of a gun for him. Although, she didn't seem all that bothered about it.

"Oh, anytime." She waved a hand about airily, as if she was merely being thanked for buying him a coffee or holding the door open. Kurt frowned slightly. He didn't like the implication that Peggy would put herself in danger again without a second thought, but before he could protest, she stepped back into her room, one hand on the door frame. When Peggy spoke, her voice was soft and oh so enthralling.

"Goodnight, Kurt."

"Goodnight, Peggy." As soon as her door closed, Kurt teleported back down to his room on the second floor. He punched the air in celebration but refrained from letting out a triumphant cheer. Scott was only across the hall and he had ears like a bat. Kurt slowly got changed into his pyjamas, not wanting to aggravate the gash just below his throat. Despite his aching body, he couldn't wipe the grin from his face.

He couldn't be bothered to shower. Instead, he flopped down onto his bed and let out an enormous yawn. He held up the tape Peggy had given him, turning it slightly so that it glinted in the light. She made him a mixtape. _Peggy_ made something for _him_. Kurt smiled to himself then reached for his bedside table where his Walkman sat, his most treasured possession. It had been a gift from his friends, they'd all chipped in for his birthday last year.

He carefully slotted the tape in then snapped the lid shut. He lay back on his bed, wriggling his shoulders to get comfortable and pulled the headphones down over his ears. Kurt closed his eyes as the first song began to play, one hand clutching the Walkman, the other resting on his stomach. He listened to the tape as he drifted gently off to sleep, slipping from track to track with a smile.

 _'You talk like Marlene Dietrich and you dance like Zizi Jeanmaire. Your clothes are all made by Balmain and there's diamonds and pearls in your hair, yes there are.'_

Whilst Peter Sarstedt sang, he pictured Peggy, hoping that perhaps if he thought about her enough, she would enter his dreams as well.

* * *

1\. Come back!

2\. Never do that again


	8. Chapter 8

Fergus Dermot was small and skinny and looked very much out of his comfort zone. The bat was unnatural in his hands, the old wood rough against his skin. He'd never been an outdoorsy guy nor a sportsman, so Fergus had hoped that coming to Xavier's school might mean no more gym, but no such luck. He stepped up to the plate, dragging the bat behind him as the coach cheered him on.

Looking out at the field, his teammates weren't nearly as encouraging. Fergus didn't blame them, he would've written himself off too. The pitcher stepped up on the mound, spinning the ball carelessly between her hands. She was precisely sixty feet and six inches away (he'd done his research) but Fergus could still make out her bored expression in spite of his thick glasses. The pitcher drew back her arm, lifted her leg, then hurled the baseball towards him with frightening speed.

There were rules in place to stop kids using their mutations in classes, exams, and more relevantly, sporting events, but, Fergus reasoned, what was the point of having powers if he couldn't use them? _Crack_. The ball soared over the heads of the fielders. Each student craned their neck as they helplessly watched it shoot over the fence and disappear against the cloudless blue sky. All eyes turned back to Fergus. He gave them an awkward smile as he tried to hide the baseball bat behind him, hoping they wouldn't notice that it was only held together by a few splinters. Whilst Coach Lyonns reprimanded Fergus for using his incredible strength and destroying a perfectly good bat, the fielders relaxed.

Scott shielded his eyes from the sun, ignoring Peggy when she scoffed and reminded him that he was wearing sunglasses. It was Tuesday afternoon and PE had only begun half an hour ago, but it felt like much longer. Scott and Peggy had drifted to the far end of the field where they could pretend to pay attention to the game without actually having to do anything. Neither of them were big on sports so it wasn't often they paid the slightest bit of attention to the game they were supposed to be taking part in.

A different student with a shiny new bat stepped up to the plate and every fielder tensed, just in case the ball happened to come their way. She swung well and the baseball flew far across the field. Peggy straightened up again and sighed. She hooked the collar of her shirt between her thumb and index finger then swiped the material across her forehead. June was getting hotter and hotter as the days progressed and the cloudless sky provided no shade. Still, Peggy could sense a storm was on its way. Her grandma was fond of saying that she could 'feel it in her knees' whenever the weather was about to turn but Peggy knew it from the strange tang in the air and the thickening atmosphere that made it ever so slightly harder to breathe.

She heard someone call her name and looked over at the fence. Behind the twisted wire stood Jubilee and Kurt. Peggy thought it was nice that they'd chosen to come see them during their free period, but then she realised it was probably because watching them struggle with PE was considered good quality entertainment. Scott waved back half-heartedly. He was a little annoyed that his friends got to enjoy the weather whilst he had to stand in a field and pretend to understand baseball. At least he wasn't alone. A problem shared was a problem halved, and Peggy certainly shared his apathy.

Jubilee left the fence to sit under the shade of a nearby tree but Kurt stayed put. He laced his fingers through the wire, watching his friends, Peggy especially. Even from halfway across the field, he could see her bright, unfaltering smile. He noticed with some small degree of pride that she and Scott were far away from the batter. Kurt knew they feared they might actually have to do something if they were any closer. Unable to help herself, Peggy looked back over at the fence. She gave him a little wave and he grinned back.

Kurt still couldn't believe the gift she'd given him. He listened to the mixtape every day, sometimes out loud from his stereo but mostly through headphones. He played it over and over until he knew every song by heart. Most of the tracks were completely new to him, he only recognised the oldest songs from a crackling radio one of his fellow performers at the circus used to own. He couldn't thank Peggy enough, though he'd certainly tried.

When he told Scott about the tape, his face lit up like he'd just won the lottery. Of course, he hadn't stopped jabbering about it since. Apparently, the giving and receiving of mixtapes was a significant and fundamental part of dating, and Kurt had been informed that he shouldn't take it so lightly. He just thought it was a nice thing for Peggy to do but Scott was so excited about it that he called Peter, who agreed wholeheartedly that Kurt was very much "in".

Peggy watched him lean his head against the fence, his scarlet eyes travelling lazily over the pitch. She was so distracted by the tufts of his dark hair sticking adorably through the wire fence that she didn't notice the cries of her teammates or the ominous whistling of the ball coming her way fast. It landed with a thud right at her feet and Peggy jumped, letting out an embarrassing yelp. Scott rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head in dismay.

"You're supposed to _catch_ the ball." He called over to her. Peggy lowered her hands, which she had instinctively raised to cover her head, her posture relaxing now that she knew she wasn't in any danger.

"Shut it." She spat, her face starting to feel hot with embarrassment. This wasn't the first time she'd been distracted by Kurt, and so long as he kept being adorable, it certainly wouldn't be the last. Her teammates were staring at her, some were annoyed, some found it funny, but most were too hot and tired to care. Peggy reached down and scooped up the ball then lobbed it towards the pitcher whilst Coach Lyonns barked at her.

"Pay attention, Murphy!" She gave her a stern look before blowing her whistle and recommencing play. Peggy's skin burned with humiliation, she hated being told off. Scott, the only person who knew why she'd been distracted, attempted to hold back his amusement but he didn't try very hard. His obnoxious snorts quickly turned to laughter as Peggy glowered at him.

"This is a rubbish sport." She muttered bitterly as she straightened out her T-shirt, an excuse to keep her head down. It was the shirt that Kurt let her keep. She wore it often, in PE, in training sessions, but mostly in bed. Only Jubilee and Jean knew about this, she would probably die if Kurt ever found out. The material was soft and a nice green colour and if she was being totally honest, she loved it because it still smelt like him after a dozen washes. Peggy had been shopping since that day and had a lot of other sporting clothes, but this old shirt was her favourite. Scott watched the next batter step up to the plate with obvious indifference. While everyone else on his team visibly tensed in anticipation, he crossed his arms and let out a loud yawn.

"You're just saying that because you've finally found something you're not good at." He shot a grin in Peggy's direction and she gave him a dark look. Peggy was smart but an athlete she was not. Her mutation couldn't help her with baseball like it did in her classes. It was reassuring to know there were some things she struggled at, Scott didn't like being the only one on the field who didn't know what he was doing. Peggy watched the ball soar through the air on the other side of the pitch, chewing pensively on the gum Scott had slipped her. The sun was right above them and it wasn't doing her Irish skin any good. She wasn't sure of the time, but Peggy hoped their lesson would end soon so that she could go have a cold shower and a lie-down.

She soon grew bored and glanced towards the fence to see if Kurt was still there. She wasn't surprised to see that he'd gone to sit with Jubilee under the shade of a nearby oak. They were both sat on top of a bench, their feet resting where they should've been seated so that they had a better view of the playing field. They were deep in conversation as they shared a late lunch. Peggy's stomach grumbled. She was about to call over and ask them to save her something when Jubilee and Kurt both began to wave.

Peggy craned her neck to see who they were looking at and saw a girl making her way towards them. She was tall, lithe, and had bright green skin and shiny black hair which she had styled so that it feathered around her head, fixed in place by headbands and hairspray. She was smiling widely at Jubilee and Kurt and greeted them with such zeal that it made Peggy take a step closer, trying to eavesdrop without even realising. The hum of the baseball field faded away to nothing as she watched the strange girl interact with her friends. She was standing close to Kurt, talking animatedly about something that was making them smile.

"Who's that?" Peggy found herself asking Scott, who had begun to watch the girls playing tennis in the court beside theirs to keep himself entertained. She felt her gut twist when the girl put a hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"Who's who?" His voice had a faraway quality to it that made Peggy look around. When she saw him leering at the girls doing PE on the other side of the fence, she rolled her eyes.

"That girl." She slapped his shoulder to get his attention. Scott reluctantly pulled his gaze away to see who she was talking about. He didn't know what could possibly be so important that his input was required, but he looked where Peggy was pointing and saw his friends under the tree. Scott smirked when he realised who Peggy was asking about.

"You mean the _insanely_ pretty girl talking to Kurt?" He laughed but Peggy's expression didn't waver. She was chewing on her bottom lip, her eyes never leaving the girl who still had her hand on Kurt's shoulder. Scott could tell he wasn't going to get out of this one so easily. "Her name's Annie. She's in our Spanish class and I think she's Jubilee's lab partner." They both watched as Kurt offered the girl some of his crisps and she took a handful with a grateful smile.

"What's she like?" Peggy tried to keep her voice level. She didn't know why, but seeing Kurt interact with Annie made her feel cold all over. Her chest felt tight, like there was a weight pressing down on her. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to alleviate the pressure but it had little effect. Peggy looked away, hoping to get her thoughts in order whilst Scott rambled on.

"Oh, Annie's great. She's real smart, she always helps us with our homework." He glanced at her and saw that Peggy's stony expression still hadn't relaxed. Scott quickly decided to change the subject. "She's also best friends with Nancy, who I fully intend on making my wife." Finally, Peggy cracked a smile. She didn't think a day had passed where she hadn't heard Scott gabble on about Nancy "the hottest girl in the known universe" D'Ambrosio, who sat at the front of his Spanish class.

"Have you actually spoken to Nancy yet?"

"I'll have you know, I borrowed a pen from her this morning."

"Bloody hell, I hope you were wearing protection, Scott."

"Shut it, Murphy." Peggy opened her mouth to tease him some more but they heard a familiar whistling sound and suddenly something small and round struck Scott hard in the chest. He gasped and staggered back, clutching his sternum with both hands. The ball fell to the ground at his feet with a dull thump.

"Hey! Eyes on the ball!" Coach Lyonns bellowed whilst the players ran around the diamond behind her. It was Peggy's turn to laugh as Scott begrudgingly threw the ball back to the pitcher. He crossed his arms again, cursing Peggy for distracting him and the whole rotten sport. Whilst Scott sulked, Peggy looked back at their friends. She smiled when she saw them all laughing together, but then Annie reached forward and gave Kurt a quick hug and the tightness in her chest came back. Peggy watched the girl wave and walk away with gritted teeth.

"She's very green." She noted, trying to coax Scott back into a conversation so she could wheedle more information out of him.

"She's not the only one." Scott shot back, seeing through her act instantly. Peggy did a hilarious double-take, her mouth falling open as she struggled through a response.

"What? I don't care!" She said, perhaps a little too quickly. "Kurt can talk to whoever he likes. Why should it matter to me? It's not like we're- Just because- There's no reason for me to-"

"Peggy?" Scott tactfully cut in before she dug herself into even more of a hole. "Breathe." Peggy rolled her eyes but she was secretly quite relieved that he'd taken pity on her and cut her off. Somehow Kurt always managed to make her tongue turn to rubber, even when he wasn't with her. Peggy looked away from Annie, who was making her way back across the gardens towards the mansion. She raised her chin and gave Scott a fake, little smile.

"I don't care." She repeated in summary, then made a point of turning to watch the next batter, feigning interest in the game. Scott scoffed and shook his head despairingly.

"Sure." Peggy elected to ignore him. Against her better judgement, she glanced back at Annie and watched her gradually getting small and smaller until she disappeared from sight. She was beautiful, apparently very clever and obviously hilarious, but most importantly, Annie wasn't a coward like Peggy was. She always had to psych herself up before she could even so much as touch Kurt without blushing. Annie hugged him like it was nothing. The tightness in her chest reached an almost unbearable pressure, making Peggy clench her jaw. She knew she was being silly, Annie was probably a lovely person and jealousy was a waste of time, but she couldn't shake the queasy feeling that had come over her.

When Scott began to speak, Peggy internally groaned, already deciding that she was going to ignore him, but she was surprised when his words turned out to be oddly comforting. "I know you obviously don't care," He gave her a pointed look. "But I should tell you that Kurt and Annie are barely friends and the only bonding they do is over the fact that they're both primary colours."

Perhaps he was taking pity on her. Perhaps he'd seen the look on her face and worked out what she was really thinking. It wasn't important. What mattered was that Scott, in his own way, had shown that he understood. Joking aside, Scott knew that she cared for Kurt deeply. It couldn't feel good to see him with another girl, even if they'd hardly said three sentences to each other. Peggy was grateful for his sympathy but she knew deep down it was undeserved. She had no right to feel jealous, especially when she hadn't told Kurt how she felt. She met his gaze as best as she could considering his visor and sent Scott a smirk.

"Green isn't a primary colour." He dropped his kind smile and gave an exasperated cry, throwing his head back dramatically while Peggy laughed at him. When he was done being overdramatic, Scott raised his eyebrows at her meaningfully.

"Annie would never correct me like that." Peggy tore off her standard issue glove and thumped him with it. "Ow!" Scott clutched his arm. She hadn't hit him that hard but he made a show of attending to his injury. He raised his arm, letting it hang loose and swung it slightly as if she'd broken it. Peggy pushed him gently, laughing loud enough for Coach Lyonns to send them a warning look.

They quieted immediately, the penalty for misbehaviour was usually laps of the pitch, only ten if you were lucky. Peggy and Scott focused on the game for the first time since its commencement but soon lost interest again as soon as their coach lost interest in them. Scott reached over and poked Peggy's arm, hoping that if he antagonised her enough, Coach Lyonns would catch her fighting back and make her do the laps after all. "Don't worry. Kurt is still very much infatuated with you."

"That's an awfully big word, Scott." Peggy did swat his hand away but their coach was far too busy intervening in a light brawl that had broken out between two other students from opposing teams. Scott tutted, shaking his head slowly.

"Typical defensive meanness."

After what seemed like an eternity, Coach Lyonns finally blew her whistle and the game was over. Peggy pulled off her clammy glove and chucked it into the designated box. She still wasn't sure of the time but the shadows were steadily lengthening. In the distance, asphalt grey clouds seeped towards them like sea foam on the sand. It was probably going to rain soon but Peggy didn't hang around to find out. She and Scott were halfway across the gardens before their teacher had even announced the winners.

They jumped up the stone steps of the mansion and slipped inside, leaving their last lesson of the day behind them. Scott asked if she wanted to get a bite to eat but Peggy declined, she was headed upstairs to have a shower. They were about to part ways when a figure stepped out at the end of the hallway. It was Raven in her blonde-haired form, dressed in civvies.

"Peggy," She called out, making the girl freeze mid-step. Peggy gave her teacher a wide, cheesy grin that she knew she wouldn't return. Beside her, Scott stifled a snort. Raven nodded in the direction of the gym, her expression as blank as always. "We have a session." Peggy's face fell and she stepped away from the staircase.

"But I just had PE." She whined, gesturing vaguely towards the doors behind her where the twenty or so other students had finally caught up with them. They scattered like ants in the main hall, each of them heading to a different destination. Raven's steely gaze didn't waver.

"Then you've warmed up." She turned on her heel and marched off towards the gym. Peggy's shoulders sagged as she watched her walk away, feeling utterly deflated. She hadn't done all that much exercise over the last couple of hours but the hot sun had taken its toll and she felt grimy and drained. Peggy couldn't think of anything she'd rather not do at that moment than train. She heard Scott hum happily to himself as he made his way to the stairs.

"See ya later, Mrs. Wagner." He grinned, giving her an antagonising pat on the shoulder that Peggy immediately shrugged off. He had only put one foot on the stairs when Raven called back to them down the corridor.

"You're coming too, Scott."

"Damn."

* * *

It was getting dark by the time they finally left the gym and as Peggy predicted, it had started to rain. There were no windows in the gym but they could hear it lashing endlessly against the roof and walls. The first crack of thunder was so loud that it made Raven stop mid-sentence. She dismissed them soon after that, which Scott was very grateful for. He hadn't been paying attention in the Danger Room and paid the price. One of the robots sent him soaring across the room and into a wall but thanks to his armour, the damage was minimal, though you wouldn't know it by how much he complained about it afterwards.

Peggy and Scott left the gym together, very tired and very sweaty, but ultimately in high spirits. Hank entered the gym about halfway through their session with what looked like an old laundry bag. Inside were dozens of Peggy's clothes that he'd altered. He'd lined them with the same material he developed for her suit so now she could camouflage fully whenever she needed and not just when she wore her armour. Peggy had the heavy bag slung over one shoulder as they staggered to the stairs, which had never looked more intimidating. Her legs wobbled at the very thought of dragging herself up to the top floor. Scott was the first to make a move and managed to get three steps up when he clutched his side. He hissed through gritted teeth, his fingers clutching at his waist.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Peggy asked, taking a concerned step closer. Scott whinged about his injury earlier but he was only joking. Looking at him now, Peggy thought perhaps he was in more pain than he let on. Scott waved her off and tried to smile despite his clenched jaw.

"I've had worse." He took another step and Peggy saw his grip on his waist tighten.

"That's not as reassuring as you think it is, Scott." He grunted in response as he slowly made it to the sixth stair.

"I'll be fine." Scott was annoyingly stubborn, if he didn't want to talk about his obvious pain then they wouldn't talk about it. Peggy watched him struggle up onto the eighth step, shaking her head. Scott realised he was leaving her behind and looked back over his shoulder. When he saw Peggy's hands firmly planted on her hips, he let go of his waist and stood up straight, wriggling his fingers to show that he was fine. Peggy eyed him suspiciously but she was too tired to question him further. They dragged themselves up the stairs, saying a brief goodbye on the second floor landing where they parted ways.

When Peggy finally got back to her room, she showered and finished up the last of some homework before she got dressed. They were all meeting downstairs in the common room for pizza and maybe a movie if they could wrestle the TV remote from the younger kids. When she stepped out into the hall, something crunched underfoot, making her jump. A letter was sitting outside her door. Peggy instantly recognised the handwriting on the front and was tearing into the envelope before she'd even got her door closed all the way. She began to read as she wandered slowly down to the common room.

It was from her parents, they'd written to keep her up to date on all that had happened since she'd been gone and to ask her a thousand questions about what she was getting up to. Phone calls were expensive and the connection would be terrible anyway, but Martin and Jill Murphy wanted to keep in contact with their eldest child. Peggy smiled to herself as she read her mother's words, imagining her voice in her head. She finished reading just as she reached the common room. There were a couple of younger kids playing Uno in the corner but apart from that, the cavernous room was empty. She was a little early so she wasn't surprised. Peggy slipped the letter into her pocket as she stepped inside and began to search for the perfect spot for her and her friends to congregate.

She made a beeline for two sofas and two armchairs arranged in a square with a little table in the middle. It had quickly become their favourite spot because of all the space available and how deep it was into the room, away from the squealing and squabbling of the other kids. Peggy grinned when she found the sofas were empty. She was about to flop onto one of them when she saw that she'd been mistaken. The sofas weren't completely empty, Kurt was stretched out on one of them.

His long body took up the length of the couch, his peculiar feet propped up against one arm, his head against a cushion at the other. Peggy wondered why he hadn't greeted her then she realised that he had his headphones on and his eyes were closed. She smiled at the sight. He looked so peaceful but she couldn't resist bending down and tapping him on the nose. Kurt jumped, his scarlet eyes flying wide and Peggy immediately felt guilty. Before she could apologise, Kurt grinned and slipped off his headphones.

"Hi." She said softly. The room was so quiet, the only sound was the rain still drumming against the side of the mansion. In the distance, thunder rumbled across the sky. Every so often, the lights would dim but only for a second. It would be quite frightening if it weren't for Hank, who had assured her that even if there was a power cut, he had built a backup generator strong enough to 'power New Orleans during Mardi Gras'. Peggy wasn't sure what that meant but he sounded sure of himself so she didn't question it.

"Peggy, hi." Kurt kept his voice equally low as he sat up, propping himself up on his elbows. Peggy thought he looked rather good in that position and had to fight to stop her gaze wandering. She gestured to the space beside him.

"Do you mind?" Kurt shook his head immediately. No, no he didn't mind at all. He jumped at any opportunity to get closer to Peggy, even though he seemed to get exponentially clumsier and bumbling whenever they touched. Kurt moved to sit up straight but he was shocked when Peggy sat down on the edge of the sofa, swung her legs up and laid down beside him. The sofa was very deep and wide, ridiculously comfortable, and had a nice smell about it that only old furniture carried. Her shoulder came to rest on top of his and Kurt realised he ought to move over.

He wriggled until he was against the back of the sofa and Peggy could fit beside him. They were pressed up against each other, thigh to thigh, shoulder to shoulder, his right against her left, and he'd honestly never been so happy in all his life. Kurt stayed very still, suddenly acutely aware that it was Peggy against his side. He could feel her warmth and the softness of her body and it was driving him crazy. Peggy appeared to be considerably less tense. She wriggled her shoulders until she was deeper into the sofa cushions, letting out a soft sigh as all of her senses were comforted by both Kurt and the warmth of the common room.

She reached over and picked up the Walkman sitting on his stomach. To her delight, he was listening to her mixtape. "Do you have a favourite yet?" She turned the little box over in her hands. She'd always wanted one but her parents had always said no, fearing that she might wear it outside and get hit by a passing car. Peggy had always thought that was rather silly seeing as they lived in the middle of nowhere and cars were fairly rare, but she'd learnt long ago that arguing with her parents never got her far. Kurt hummed in thought as he slipped the track list out from the Walkman's cover. It was a little crumpled but the writing was still clear. He pointed to track four with a slight smile.

"I like this one." He showed her the paper and Peggy saw he was referring to 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procol Harum.

"'We skipped the light fandango'. Good choice." It was the song Kurt had been listening to when Peggy came in. It was still playing through his headphones, she could just about hear it. Peggy pointed this out and he moved to pause the music but she stopped him. The song was quite an old one, her dad liked to sing it while he was cooking. She was glad Kurt enjoyed it. "There were a couple more I couldn't fit on and some I couldn't find." Peggy explained, tapping the Walkman lightly. Then she smiled. "It's not as if they regularly play 'Ave Maria' on the radio." Kurt frowned slightly as he wound the wire of his headphones around the device.

"What's that?" Peggy turned her head to him, her eyes wide.

" _You_ don't know the 'Ave Maria'?" Of all the songs she thought he'd be familiar with, this was at the top of the list. It was a hymn in German, for crying out loud. It might as well have been written for him. "It's Schubert. It's beautiful, right up your alley." Kurt smiled at her excitement. It wasn't Peggy's fault that she didn't know about his meagre beginnings. He rolled the name around in his head. It sounded familiar but he couldn't remember a tune. He looked down at Peggy and raised his eyebrows. "Sing it for me." Immediately, Peggy began to smile.

"Who do you wanna hear singing it? Mickey Mouse or Kermit the Frog?"

"I want to hear _you_ sing it."

"Kurt, I sing like a drainpipe."

"Then sing the one that you heard." Kurt decided, meeting her in the middle. So Peggy closed her eyes and thought back to the first time that she heard the record. Her parents owned a pile of boxes, each one filled to the brim with LPs. Her father favoured rock and roll, maybe some pop if the tune was good enough. Her mum liked older stuff, some classical music but mostly just albums from when she was growing up. One of the records she played the most was 'Ave Maria' sung by a woman called Barbara Bonney. Peggy had often joked that people already knew they were Catholic, there was no need to have it blasting through the house every afternoon. Her mother would always swat her with a tea towel and keep singing.

Peggy played the song in her head then opened her mouth and repeated it with ease. The first note caught him by surprise, it was so soft and sweet. By the fourth syllable, Kurt's lips were parted in awe. He'd heard a lot of people say that German was an unattractive sounding language, but those people, like him, must never have heard the song that fell from Peggy's lips.

The melody soothed him, soon he was melting into the sofa as all the tension left his body. She only sang a few verses, not wanting to bore him, but when Peggy was done, she saw that Kurt was gazing at her with what she could only describe as wonder. She gave him a shy smile and Kurt's chest squeezed on cue. "You are incredible." He murmured, his scarlet eyes and expression soft. Peggy scrunched up her nose and turned her head to look up at the ceiling.

"You mean _it_ was incredible." She corrected him, assuming that he'd misspoken. She looked back when Kurt chuckled, making his chest rise and fall.

"I know what I meant." Peggy tried not to look as surprised as she felt. She got a lot of compliments about her mutation. She supposed she was lucky, her gift was easily hidden and didn't affect her day-to-day life. She thought about Kurt and his striking appearance. Peggy thought _he_ was the incredible one. She wanted to tell him but she lost her nerve and looked away instead.

Kurt noticed the redness to her cheeks and grinned, feeling mightily pleased with himself. He knew he'd got her flustered so he decided to change the subject. "Was ist das?" He gestured faintly towards the envelope sticking out of her jumper pocket. Peggy seemed to have forgotten about the letter because it took her a second to figure out what he was talking about. She pulled the envelope from her pocket and held it up for him to see.

"I got a letter from my family." Peggy drew out the sheets of paper and flattened them against her stomach before handing them to him. Kurt was surprised that she would readily hand over something so personal. He cautiously took the papers. Peggy noticed the care with which he handled her letter and smiled to herself, feeling her heart swell. "It knocked me for six actually." She murmured as Kurt ran his eyes over the page. His brow creased slightly.

"I do not know this phrase."

"It means it shocked me." Kurt nodded to show he understood. He stored the expression away to use at a later date. Scott and Peter often tried to teach him "American expressions", but he didn't trust them in the slightest. Peggy he trusted with his life. "I suppose I was expecting a letter at some point but I didn't think I would be this affected by it."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everyone's fine." She smiled at the concern in his voice. He hadn't even met her family and here he was worrying about them. "Apparently it's freezing at home and it hasn't stopped raining for days. They still went to the beach though." Peggy reached over and pointed to where her mother had written about their trip to the seaside. "My family's house is ten minutes from the coast. We go every weekend, rain or shine." Kurt read the little paragraph carefully. While his spoken English was perfect, his reading was a little slower. There were a few words that tripped him up every now and then but his friends were always there to help. Peggy's mother wrote with such warmth, it made him homesick for a place he'd never been.

"I have just realised," He murmured, turning his head to meet her eyes. "That I don't know anything about your family." Kurt shook his head as if he was disappointed with himself. "Sehr rude of me." Peggy laughed a little at that.

"Nah, you're alright. There's not much to tell."

"Tell me anyway." Peggy was a little stunned that he wanted to know about her family. Or perhaps it wasn't really so surprising. Kurt was very sweet, he always tried to be interested in other people and what they had to say. He gazed at her expectantly with a little smile. God, that mouth. It was hard not to stare. Peggy wondered whether it was their proximity that was making it hard to breathe properly or if it always felt like this talking to Kurt and she'd just never noticed. Kurt nudged her arm gently and Peggy finally gave in.

"I'm from Dungloe, in the very north of Ireland. It's small and quiet and... Conventional." As she spoke, Peggy's expression relaxed, her gaze falling to somewhere by his shirt collar. "My mum, she's English. She met my dad while she was on holiday and the only time she ever went home again was to pack her things." Kurt chuckled at that and it made Peggy smile. "They got married and had me, then my brother, then my two sisters." Kurt was surprised. She hadn't mentioned anything about siblings before. But then again, they hadn't asked.

"You have a big family."

"I have a _noisy_ family." Peggy snorted, dropping her hand onto her stomach. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then she reached for the envelope again and pulled out a photograph. Her mother had included it with the letter, a picture from their day at the beach. Peggy handed it to Kurt, who placed the letter down on his chest so that he could gingerly take the photograph in both hands. It was difficult with his large fingers but he strove to hold the picture by the edges, not wanting to smudge it.

Peggy pointed out her brother Michael and her two sisters, Orla and Catherine. He saw that all the Murphy children looked very similar, they all shared the same dark, curly hair and bright brown eyes, just like their mother. Peggy's father was much fairer but Peggy had inherited his height. They were all smiling broadly at the camera. Kurt watched Peggy's expression soften as she studied her family.

"You miss them." He murmured. Peggy blinked, his voice drawing her out of her thoughts. She smiled slightly and took the picture back.

"Yeah, I do. But I love it here." Her forehead creased, her lips twisting in thought. "It's confusing." She said after a brief pause. "I miss my home but this place- this school- it feels like home too." Kurt hummed in agreement and she felt it rumble through his chest. Peggy sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down without drawing too much attention to herself. Meanwhile, Kurt could see her chest rise and fall and had to avert his gaze.

"I know how you feel." He said quickly, looking anywhere but at her as he awkwardly cleared his throat. Peggy thankfully didn't notice his wandering gaze. She smiled slightly.

"I suppose you do." She was a long way from home but so was Kurt. He hadn't told her all that much about his upbringing. Peggy was actually rather appalled at herself for not asking sooner. They were always so busy, there was always something going on, she just hadn't found the time. Peggy turned over onto her side so that she could look at him properly. "What about you? What's your family like?" Kurt gritted his teeth. Her chest was now pressed up against the side of his arm and it was taking everything in his power not to think about it.

"Complicated." He said, hoping she wouldn't notice the tightness in his voice. Peggy raised her eyebrows. Kurt had actually wondered how long it would take her to ask about his past. He was surprised she'd made it this long considering her curiosity and how easily swayed he was by her. "I was found by the edge of the Schwarzwald as a baby." He felt Peggy tense against him. He watched as her cheerful expression dissolved into confusion, uncertainty, then finally sorrow.

"Kurt..." She breathed. He held her gaze, his expression strangely vacant. He didn't give away any feelings on the matter. Peggy raised her head from the cushion they were leaning against, propping herself up on her elbow. She tried to speak but her voice wouldn't work properly. Even if she could find it again, she hadn't a clue what to say. "I had no idea." Peggy said eventually, shaking her head. Kurt shrugged, she had no reason to know. It wasn't something he kept a secret, his other friends all knew, he just didn't talk about it unless asked.

"I was found by a couple and they took me in." He had told his story to very few people but they all had the same reaction. "I enjoyed my time with them, they treated me as one of their own. Later I joined the Munich Circus to earn a little money. That's when things got... Bad. The circus was losing business so they loaned me to an underground fight club." As he spoke, he saw Peggy's expression grow more and more anguished. He didn't want her to be sad, his life hadn't been all bad. He was raised by a loving family and his time in the circus had taught him so much and he had travelled so far. All this he told to Peggy and she relaxed a little, but the knowledge that such a sweet, kind person like Kurt had suffered so much was dreadful. "Raven freed me and brought me here a year ago."

"I'm so sorry." Peggy said quietly. What else was there to say? Kurt smiled to show he appreciated her sympathy. What he dreaded was being consoled, commiserated, as if that made everything better, as if mere words could change his past and make it like it had never happened. Kurt was happy to find there was no layer of pity to her tone.

"Luckily, mein nachtigall," He said, his tone considerably lighter and much more like his usual self. "I believe everything happens for a reason." He shifted around so that he could speak to her face to face. He was still on his back but he turned his body inward, their heads a little closer now. "If I had not been sent to the fight, I would not have been saved, I would not have come here, and I would not have met you." Kurt reached over and tapped the end of Peggy's nose as she was so fond of doing to him. She scrunched up her nose and laughed, hoping he couldn't see how red her face was in the slowly darkening common room.

Outside the thunder still boomed like a marching band. It was so loud, Peggy thought it might never end. The wind was growing stronger, making the trees and hedges in the gardens sway worryingly. They listened to the cacophony for a little while. A storm was a lovely thing to witness if you were inside in the warm, particularly if you were practically in the arms of the person you adored.

"Will you ever go back?" Kurt opened his eyes when he heard Peggy speak up after a few minutes of relative silence. He hadn't even noticed that he'd been on the brink of nodding off. She looked up at him with those big brown eyes and it took all that was left of his crumbling willpower not to kiss her right then. "To Germany, I mean?" Kurt thought about her question as he reached for his Walkman. He laid it down on the arm of the sofa behind their heads so that he could turn to face her a little more.

"Maybe." He said eventually. "One day. But not forever." It would be good to see his _Heimat_ again, perhaps even visit his adopted family. Mostly he wanted to make sure that the fight clubs riddling the underbellies of Germany's largest cities were disbanded so that no more mutants would suffer what he had. "My home is here now." Kurt looked down at Peggy, eyebrows raised. "What about you? Will you go back to Ireland after you graduate?"

Peggy smiled when his long fringe fell in front of his face. Kurt blew a short upward breath, trying to push it back into place but to little effect. He needed a haircut but it wasn't something he was used to. He'd always done it himself but his friends insisted that he go to a professional now. There was a nice little barber's in the mall where they knew his name and didn't care about the way he looked, perhaps he'd pay them a visit soon. He froze when Peggy reached up and pushed his fringe out of his eyes. Her fingertips brushed against his cheek and he shivered. He bit his lip, praying that she wouldn't notice. If she did see, she didn't show it.

"I used to think I would." Once she was happy that his hair wouldn't fall in front of his eyes again, Peggy dropped her hand and snuggled into the sofa a little more. The evening was drawing slowly closer and Peggy was shattered after her gym session. She didn't get as exhausted as she used to but her muscles still felt all rubbery. Peggy let her gaze travel over Kurt's face, following the patterns that marked his skin. "Now, I'm not so sure." A tiny smile began to appear on her face. Kurt wondered what she meant but he didn't dare ask.

"You should stay." He said instead. Peggy grinned, not bothering to hide how pleased she was. It meant a lot that Kurt wanted her to stay. Perhaps it was only because they were such good friends, but a small part of her hoped it was something more, something bigger. Peggy shifted a little on the sofa, unintentionally moving closer to Kurt. She didn't seem to notice but he certainly did.

"What would I do with myself?" She asked with a sly smile. Kurt watched as she turned onto her back again, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. He bit his lip when she stretched and arched her back. _Gott im himmel_.

"You could teach here."

"Is that what you're going to do?"

"Hopefully. If they let me."

"They'd be lucky to have you." Peggy insisted before she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, finally giving in to her fatigue. Or maybe she wasn't tired, perhaps it was simply peacefulness. She couldn't think of the last time she'd felt this content, and it was all because of the boy who lay beside her. "You could teach German." Peggy suggested quietly, keeping their conversation going so that she didn't drop off altogether. She cracked one eye open and shot him a grin. "Herr Wagner." Kurt had no idea how he stopped the moan that sat at the back of his throat but he thanked every angel in heaven that he managed it. He looked down at the other end of the sofa where their feet lay, his propped up on the arm, hers flat against it.

"I certainly won't be teaching Spanish, I got a D on my last test." He feigned resentment and earned a soft laugh from Peggy.

"I'll help you study later."

"Danke, nachtigall." He looked back to Peggy and saw that her eyes were closed again. "You're tired." Kurt didn't want to keep her up if she needed to sleep but Peggy waved him off. She quickly explained about her unexpected training session. Her fatigue finally made sense and Kurt felt a little less guilty.

"Raven had me mercilessly attack a defenceless punching bag today." Peggy raised her fists and showed him the extent of her work out. Her knuckles were still red raw. They didn't hurt all that much, it just stung if she clenched her hands too tight. It wasn't the worst injury she'd earned from training and it wouldn't be the last, but seeing her hands like this was strange. She'd never been particularly outdoorsy but Peggy and her siblings never shied away from a dare so they were all covered in faded scars from rocks they'd clambered over and trees they'd fallen out of. Still, getting bloody and bruised was a relatively new concept. It was a sign of how different her life had become. She was no longer just that little girl from the Irish countryside, she was a warrior. Or so Peggy liked to think.

"At least you look like a badass." Kurt reasoned as he carefully took her left hand in his own. Peggy chuckled.

"Silver lining, yeah." She watched him gingerly prise apart her fist, stretching her fingers out flat to inspect the damage. He was so gentle and so attentive, it made her heart rise in her chest. He ran his thumb over her knuckles then turned her hand over.

"There was a woman in the circus who could read palms." Kurt pulled her hand closer. "She taught me a few things."

"Oh, really?" Peggy would never flat out refute palm reading and other such practices, especially when it was how a lot of people earned a living, but she remained somewhat sceptical. Kurt held her hand in his then pointed to one of the lines in her palm.

"This one means you will live a long life." He stated matter-of-factly. Peggy looked between Kurt's proud little smile and the line arcing around her two shortest fingers.

"Well, that's good." She said, feeling quite pleased despite her scepticism. Kurt smoothed his thumb across her palm, unwittingly making Peggy's heartbeat pick up again. He had no idea of the effect he had on her. Or, perhaps he did.

"This one is called your head line." Kurt pointed out a line that ended near the centre of her palm. "Yours is short. This means you are a fast thinker who reaches conclusions without any hesitation." Peggy allowed herself a smile at that. If he was making this up, he was very good. Suddenly, he drew his finger along a different line, his eyes narrowing. "This one, this is very interesting." He scrutinised her hand closely, examining something she couldn't see. Kurt finally let go of her hand, much to Peggy's disappointment, but then he ran his finger along the heel of her palm. "You see this one here?" Peggy held her hand close to her face, studying her own skin closely to see what he'd found. "That one means you are a huge dork."

Peggy gasped and Kurt let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back and clutching at his sides. Peggy lightly hit his chest and muttered curses under her breath, all the while Kurt laughed like an idiot at his own dumb joke. She wished she could be angry with him but she had never seen him laugh like that before and it was entrancing. Peggy sat up on one elbow and used her new vantage point to poke at his sides, only making him laugh harder. Thankfully, Peggy was laughing too so he knew he wasn't in any trouble. Kurt tried to catch his breath but she was relentless, so he grabbed her hand and held it in place against his chest so that she couldn't get away. Their laughter slowly subsided, replaced by breathless pants and intermittent giggles.

Peggy could feel Kurt's chest rising and falling under her palm. Only then did she realise how close they were. He still held her wrist and she was hovering just above him. Their eyes met. Kurt seemed to realise their position too but he didn't bolt like she thought he might. Instead, he looked up at her with something akin to curiosity. He was waiting for her, waiting to see what she did next. Peggy held his gaze for a moment before she looked down to his lips and saw that he still wore a little smile. She could just about feel his heart beating hard and fast against the palm of her hand. Peggy could feel her own heart rate speed up as she drew closer. She heard his breathing hitch. Without even really thinking about it, she tilted her head, her lips parting of their own accord.

"Are we interrupting? It kinda feels like we're interrupting." Peggy almost tumbled off the sofa in her haste to jump away from Kurt. Her heart was in her mouth as she rolled over until she could see Scott. He wore a broad smile. Behind him was Jubilee, who was also grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"We can come back." She said, raising her eyebrows. Peggy spotted Jean off to the side holding a stack of pizza boxes. She exchanged a glance with Ororo, who was stood beside her with two bottles of Coke. Peggy had only met Ororo a few times but she wanted them to be good friends. She also wanted to make a good impression, now she just looked like an idiot. Peggy cleared her throat awkwardly and slid off the sofa, hoping to God that her face wasn't as red as it felt. She didn't dare look at Kurt.

"Is that pizza?" She asked no one in particular, her voice coming out embarrassingly high. Scott watched her stiffly walk away to grab some dinner, then looked back at Kurt. He raised an eyebrow, his grin still in place. Kurt rolled his eyes in response as he sat up. His heart was still racing. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Kurt had lost count of how many daydreams he'd entertained that had ended in exactly the same way: Peggy on top of him, her dark curls wild, their lips drawing closer and closer.

He watched Peggy flop down onto the sofa opposite him, a plate stacked with pizza in her hands. He wondered what she was thinking. Probably something along the same lines as him. Kurt loved his friends dearly but they had awful timing. He got up to grab some dinner before it was all gone and got comfy on the sofa again, all the while thinking about the feeling of Peggy's body pressed against his and the smile that warmed her face meant only for him.

* * *

"It's been raining for hours now." Jubilee groaned miserably. Two hours later, the pizza was long gone, the thunder was still raging, and their little group hadn't left the warm embrace of the common room. Kurt was still stretched out on the sofa, Jean on the floor at his feet. Scott and Peggy shared another sofa whilst Ororo had an armchair to herself. Jubilee stared out of the window, watching the rain pelt the gardens beyond. They'd all been looking forward to a quiet evening in, food, friends, and some peace and quiet, but the storm didn't show any signs of stopping. Because of this, it seemed every student in the Institute had crammed themselves into the common room.

Peggy picked apart her slice of garlic bread and threw a piece up in the air. Scott sat up and caught it in his mouth. They'd been playing this game for the past ten minutes but even when Scott missed and toppled off the sofa, it wasn't enough to lift their spirits. A room full of mutant children was anything but peaceful and the horrid weather meant there was no chance of escape.

"Are you sure this isn't something to do with you?" Scott asked, looking over at Ororo. She serenely sipped her drink before responding to his accusation.

"Not this time, goggles."

"Can't you stop it?" Ororo sighed and reached forward to scoop up a handful of crisps from the bowl sitting on the coffee table. Like Kurt, she had found moving to America quite a culture shock but Ororo had taken it all in her stride. Some things were admittedly still a little strange to her but there was far more good than bad. She especially liked the food.

"The Professor does not like me playing around with the natural order of things." Ororo explained, repeating Xavier's words verbatim. In one of her many training sessions, the Professor had explained that it was good to practice using her mutation, but he asked that she try to keep meteorological disturbances to a minimum. Not wanting to disappoint her headmaster, Ororo promised to keep her mutation as discreet as she could. She glanced towards the window Jubilee was still glumly gazing out of. "Anyway, I like storms." Thunder clapped outside and while everyone else flinched, Ororo smiled at the sound. Scott grunted but didn't fight her on it.

The lights flickered and dimmed again, making a few of the younger kids cry out but they soon sprang into life again. A loud shout barely caught their attention, it was all part of the usual background noise at the Institute. A squabble had broken out across the room. Five or six kids were standing around the television, some arguing, some shaking the machine, one even banging his fist on top while another struggled with the aerial.

"The TVs on the fritz." Scott realised, earning a groan from all his friends. Although the storm had somewhat dampened the festivities, the gang had reconsidered their evening schedule and decided that they would watch a movie a little later on once the majority of the kids had either gone to bed or sloped off to find something better to do. Now that the storm had taken out the TV, they needed to find some new evening entertainment.

"It's okay, guys, we'll just listen to some music." Jubilee suggested, springing away from the window to flop down in an empty armchair. Peggy shook her head.

"The turntable's broken."

"What? Since when?"

"Last Wednesday." Jean said with a slight smirk. "You know, when Scott thought it would be a good idea to jump out at Evie." Jubilee's bright expression dimmed just a little.

"Oh, yeah." Evie was in the year below them but everyone in the school knew about her. She just so happened to have a very explosive mutation and every so often, a room in the mansion would implode in on itself. No one had ever been hurt, the furniture tended to take the brunt of the impact, but people still leaned away from her whenever she was about to sneeze.

Everyone did their best to keep Evie calm and stable, apart from Scott, who thought it would be a good idea to jump out and scare the living daylights out of her. The common room wallpaper now had a black haze around the doorway and on the opposite wall, another black spot with a Scott-shaped silhouette cut out of it from where he'd peeled himself off the wall. His hair was singed for days and he smelt like a barbecue, but Scott maintained that it was the funniest thing to happen all year.

"Well, that's okay, we've got the tape player." Ororo put in helpfully. She made to stand up but Jean raised a hand, shaking her head again.

"Another tragic victim of Scott's stupidity." She said bitterly, sending the boy a dark glare for good measure. Ororo looked crestfallen, she coveted the stereo like it was made of gold. Scott felt a little guilty seeing the look on his friend's face but he wouldn't be beaten.

"C'mon, it was pretty funny." Jean narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's a miracle you made it out alive!"

"Worth it." This argument went on for several minutes. The rest of the gang either ignored them or eagerly spectated. Jean and Scott were close friends who just happened to argue like an old married couple. Constantly. Most of the time it was over something trivial so there was no need to act as referee. Kurt chuckled at the pair of them and looked up at Peggy to see if she was enjoying the show. He smiled when he saw that she was laughing too.

Peggy hadn't looked at him all evening. She still hadn't gotten over the embarrassment of being caught in such a compromising position but still, she couldn't help wondering what might have happened if Scott hadn't interrupted them. Were they about to kiss? She wasn't sure. Peggy certainly wanted to and it appeared, though she couldn't say for certain, that Kurt wanted the same. Peggy nodded towards the squabbling pair between them then smiled slightly. Kurt despairingly shook his head in response.

Peggy was relieved. She thought things might be awkward between them but evidently not. Kurt held her gaze, picturing the look on Peggy's face when she had hovered just above him. No one had ever looked at him like that before. He remembered the way her lips parted, how soft her eyes became, the same affection he felt reflected in her face. His heart still hadn't returned to a normal pace yet. Kurt hoped he got to see that look again soon.

Peggy dropped her gaze to her hands folded in her lap but her soft smile remained. Scott threw his head back and let out a long groan. Even arguing with Jean had grown boring. "I can't believe there's nothing to do! This sucks." Despite his whiny tone, they couldn't help but agree. Peggy spotted Kurt's Walkman still resting on the arm of the sofa and felt an idea spring into life.

"What's your favourite song at the moment?" Scott looked at her strangely, he didn't understand why she was asking such an irrelevant question, but Peggy saw Kurt perk up out of the corner of her eye. He knew exactly where she was going with this.

"I like that Kenny Loggins song. From the movie." Scott answered despite his confusion. Luckily, Peggy had seen 'Footloose' and knew the song, otherwise she wouldn't be able to try out her idea. They didn't have a stereo or a radio or even a turntable, but they did have her. Peggy closed her eyes, played the song in her head, then opened her mouth. Scott's expression turned from confusion to amazement as a familiar guitar riff sounded from Peggy.

"No way!" They watched in a stunned silence as Peggy moved her lips as if she were speaking, but instead of words, there was a pounding drum beat. Peggy still had her eyes closed but she could sense that everyone watching her. She was proud of her mutation and it wasn't often she got shy, but her cheeks still burned a little to know that all eyes were on her. She kept the beat going in the back of her throat then just as the gang thought things couldn't get any cooler/weirder, Peggy mimicked Kenny Loggins' voice and began to sing. She only repeated the first verse and a chorus then opened her eyes to see their reaction. It was a weird mutation and she knew it, but her friends all seem impressed rather than freaked out, much to her relief.

"I didn't know you could do that!" Jubilee cried, and there was a murmur of agreement amongst the group. Peggy shrugged carelessly. She didn't want to be the centre of attention, she just wanted to entertain her friends. She didn't like seeing them bored and disappointed. Outside the thunder continued to boom but it mattered little now.

"It's part of my training. Hank told me that it's good practice to listen to a song then try and repeat everything I can hear. You know, the beat, the different instruments, the vocals. It's hard work but it helps." In truth, Peggy's head felt a little clouded. It took a lot of energy to mimic so much at once, but like the rest of her training, it was getting gradually easier. Jean was pleased to finally have some entertainment, mostly because it would distract Scott so that he wouldn't try to start another argument.

"What else can you do?" Kurt smiled at his best friend. He was so proud of her. She had come such a long way since they met, they all had. Peggy caught him looking at her and instead of feeling embarrassed, he reached behind him for his Walkman. He held it up for her. Peggy grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Please?"

"Scott, _no_!"

"C'mon, I've got it all figured out!" Scott grinned broadly in spite of Peggy's stony expression. He raised his hands as he spoke, explaining his plan with such gravitas, you'd think he was organising an elaborate bank heist. "All you gotta do is go in, grab Jubilee's Sound Burger, and sneak back out again." Scott clapped his hands together. "Easy as pie." Peggy continued to scowl.

"That is the dumbest plan I've ever heard."

They were standing in the corridor that housed both the Foreign Language department and the teachers' lounge. Peggy had been on her way to the library to study when Scott suddenly appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her across the school. Jubilee was waiting for them when they arrived. She looked decidedly angry but Peggy didn't have time to ask what had happened before her friends started bickering. From what she could glean from their argument, Scott had been playing around with something of Jubilee's in his Spanish class and inevitably got it confiscated.

"Peggy-"

"Even if I wasn't opposed to _blatant_ _thievery_ ," She narrowed her eyes at Scott but he only continued to grin. "How am I supposed to get the bloody thing out?" Peggy's voice rose with her aggravation and Scott immediately shushed her, flapping his hands about. He fearfully glanced through the meshed window of his Spanish classroom. Luckily, his teacher was facing away from the door and hadn't heard them. Peggy tutted and batted away his hands, though when she spoke again it was in a hushed voice. "I can camouflage but what's Professor Rosario gonna think if she turns and sees a... What's it called again?"

"A Sound Burger." Scott said, making Peggy's frown deepen.

"What the hell is a Sound Burger?"

"It's a portable vinyl player."

"45s and LPs." Added Jubilee helpfully. Peggy had never heard of such a thing but the name alone was so stupid, she decided she didn't care. She shook her head slightly, wondering why she let her friends drag her into these situations.

"Well, what's Rosario gonna think when she turns and sees a... Sees a..." Peggy pulled a face before naming the device like it left a bad taste in her mouth. "Sound Burger floating through the air?" Although Peggy could very easily camouflage with her surroundings, she couldn't make inanimate objects disappear with her. After she accidentally allowed Kurt to camouflage on their last mission, Hank conducted a series of tests and discovered that Peggy could stretch her mutation to others. In other words, mimic it. However, she was only able to make other people and one very weary lab rat vanish with her. If she camouflaged and picked up the Sound Burger, whatever it was, it would look like a ghost was carrying it through the air.

"I've thought about that." Scott said quickly before she gave up on him and stormed off as Peggy was prone to do. He dropped his rucksack on the floor and began to dig through its contents. Jubilee and Peggy exchanged disgusted looks, they didn't want to speculate about what might lurk in the ghastly depths of Scott Summers' backpack. He straightened up again, waving something over his head like a flag. "Here." Scott triumphantly declared as he threw the material to Peggy. She unfolded what he'd given her and immediately recognised it.

"This is my shirt." Scott looked between the appalled look on Peggy's face and the T-Shirt and quickly decided he ought to explain himself before he got punched.

"Yeah, you can wrap it around the SB and camouflage it." He gave her a pointed look before he remembered she wouldn't be able to see it behind his visor. "I _have_ thought this through." Peggy scrunched up her nose.

"You went through my stuff?"

"Don't worry, I didn't stop to smell the roses."

"Will you do it?" Jubilee cut in tactfully. She wanted her SB back and Peggy was her only hope. It was one of her most prized possessions. Knowing Professor Rosario, she wouldn't see it again until the end of the semester. Suffice to say, she was never trusting Scott with her things ever again. Peggy was still a little cross that Scott had rifled through her wardrobe but the imploring look on Jubilee's face eventually swayed her. She sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.

"Fine." Peggy dropped her bag on the floor beside Scott's and shrugged off her jacket, Hank hadn't altered it yet and it wouldn't disappear like the rest of her clothes. She gave her friends a pointed look, raising one finger and waggling it like a teacher. "But I'm not happy." They nodded to show they understood, both of them smiling gleefully. Jubilee was just happy to get her Sound Burger back, but Scott was excited about seeing perfectly behaved Peggy break a rule for once. She pointed at Jubilee and inclined her head. "You owe me."

Peggy rested her hand on Scott's shoulder and leaned on him as she kicked off her shoes and socks, both of which had also yet to be altered. Without a word, she walked to the door and closed her eyes. Jubilee and Scott watched as their friend shimmered then disappeared from sight. They ducked for cover around the corner when the classroom door opened, but poked their heads out so they could see what was going on.

Inside the classroom, Professor Rosario stopped calling out the answers to her vocab test when the door swung open. She eyed it suspiciously then walked to the door and looked out. When she didn't see anyone, the Professor closed the door again, making sure it clicked shut. She went back to the test, doing circuits of the room to make sure none of her students were cheating.

Peggy tiptoed behind the desk, just trying not to have a heart attack. She was not a troublemaker, she'd never broken a rule in her life. Scott and Jubilee were bad influences. She pulled open the bottom desk drawer as slowly as she could, not wanting it to squeak and alert Professor Rosario. Luckily, she'd chosen the correct drawer. Inside was a whole treasure trove of confiscated items. On the top of the pile was a small device, like a tiny record player.

Peggy glanced up at the class to make sure she hadn't attracted any attention then reached inside the drawer and wrapped her shirt around the device. She concentrated a little harder and the shirt disappeared with the SB safely inside. Peggy slid the drawer shut and without a backwards glance, she hurried out of the door. She panicked when she couldn't find her friends but then she saw a flash of yellow out of the corner of her eye and instantly recognised Jubilee's jacket. Peggy ran to meet her friends around the corner and was immediately congratulated for her bravery.

"Thank you!" Jubilee cheered as she passed over her shoes, socks and school bag. Whilst Peggy got dressed, she turned to Scott and poked him in the chest with the Sound Burger. "I'm never letting you borrow it again." Scott absent-mindedly rubbed the spot where Jubilee prodded him. He looked a little embarrassed.

"I was just trying to impress Nancy." He admitted, making the girls roll their eyes. Of course, it was because of Nancy. He shrugged. "She likes music and I thought, hey, it worked for Peggy with Kurt, right?" He sent Peggy a grin and she gave him a scathing glare in return as she pulled on her jacket.

"You are _this_ close to getting your arse kicked, Summers."

"Uh oh, what did he do now?" With tensions still running high, the new voice made them all jump. They turned to find a girl walking towards them. Peggy recognised her instantly, how could she not? It was the girl she saw talking to her friends yesterday, making Peggy feel nine different kinds of jealous. That, and she was bright green.

"Hey, Annie." Scott greeted the girl with ill-concealed excitement. Peggy couldn't even begin to introduce herself before he was talking again. "Sorry about yesterday."

"And this morning?" Annie raised her eyebrows and Scott's wide smile dropped. He and Annie were supposed to meet yesterday to study together but because of his unexpected training session with Raven, he had to reschedule. He glanced at his watch and felt his face start to prickle with embarrassment. He was an hour late and Annie had grown bored of waiting.

"Oh, you see, I was overseeing a reconnaissance mission and time got away from me." Scott rushed to explain himself, gesturing between Peggy and the Sound Burger she'd retrieved. Annie shrugged, tossing her dark curls over her shoulder. Peggy watched Scott follow her gesture, his mouth practically watering, and wondered whether it was really Annie's friend that he was so enamoured with.

"It's okay, I hung out with Nancy while I waited so it's not like I was bored." Scott was right, Annie was a nice girl. Peggy resisted the habitual urge to chew her lip. She felt awful about the way she'd thought about Annie, even though she never said any of it out loud. She was clearly lovely and a good friend to Kurt, she had no reason to dislike her other than those concocted by her own envy.

"You were- You were with Nancy?" Scott spluttered. He crossed and uncrossed his arms three times, trying to appear nonchalant and failing miserably. "H-How's she doing?"

"She's fine." Annie said slowly, looking very bewildered by Scott's sudden strange behaviour. Beside him, Jubilee raised her eyes to the heavens but Peggy was much more merciful. Scott was annoying but no one deserved this level of embarrassment. She smiled widely at Annie, waving slightly to divert her attention away from Scott.

"I'm Peggy, by the way." She introduced herself. Annie's puzzled expression cleared and she began to look quite excited.

" _The_ Peggy?" Now it was Peggy's turn to look confused. "I've heard so much about you, I feel like I know you already!" She looked to her friends, hoping to get an explanation. Jubilee gave her a slight shrug in response and Scott didn't look like he'd be able to talk again for a while yet. Luckily, she got an answer before things got awkward. "Kurt was just telling me about how awesome you were on your last mission!" Annie gave her a bright, beaming smile that only served to make Peggy feel even worse about briefly hating her.

"Me?" Peggy was _very_ aware of how ridiculous she sounded but she couldn't help herself. "He said that?" She knew Kurt talked about her often, her friends were fond of teasing her about it, but she didn't know that he talked to people outside of their friendship group, to people she didn't even know. Peggy felt her heart somersault in her chest. She couldn't fight her pleased smile. Annie tucked a lock of her dark hair behind one ear as she nodded.

"You guys are so cute together, I'm so jealous!" She admitted, placing a hand on her chest as she giggled. Suddenly, Peggy's grin disappeared.

"Eh?" She knew it wasn't particularly polite or articulate, but she was so shocked that words evaded her. Although Scott and Jubilee visibly tensed, Annie didn't seem to notice that she'd said anything of significance.

"You and Kurt." She reiterated, thinking that perhaps Peggy had just misheard her. "You make a nice couple." Scott had to bite his lip to stop his laughter from bursting out. He glanced at Jubilee and instantly regretted it because she was pulling all sorts of funny faces as she too tried not to laugh. Peggy's expression was priceless.

"Wait, no no no no no." She shook her head hurriedly as she stumbled through a response. She kept blinking, like she'd just been blinded by a bright light and she couldn't seem to keep her hands still. "We're not... Kurt and I, we're just mates." Annie looked quite surprised, both by Peggy's reaction and the revelation that she and Kurt weren't actually together.

"Oh." Annie gave a nervous laugh, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable. "Sorry, I just assumed because he talks about you _non-stop_ and he's always so..." Peggy's eyes were still a little wide, making Annie trail off awkwardly. She looked to Scott for help but he merely shook his head in amusement. Why hadn't he told her? Scott and Kurt were always talking about Peggy, but not once had either of them cared to mention that they weren't actually a couple. Annie shot Scott a dark look, silently damning him for letting her stumble into this situation without trying to stop her. She smiled weakly at Peggy, who still appeared a little shocked. "This is awkward." Annie muttered, more to herself than her friends. Finally, Scott pulled himself together and waved one hand about airily.

"She's used to it." He clapped Peggy on the back, making the poor girl lurch forward. Peggy opened her mouth to argue but Scott took Annie by the arm and quickly said, "Come on, let's go study." He sensed that he'd get a severe telling off if he stuck around much longer. He guided Annie away from the girls and in the direction of the library. As they turned the corner, Annie waved goodbye before she disappeared from sight. Yes, definitely a nice girl. Peggy watched them leave then turned to Jubilee. She was grinning inanely up at her, this was the best thing to happen to her all week. Peggy raised her eyebrows and pointed a finger at Jubilee.

"Not one word."

* * *

The shrill bell sounded throughout the mansion at three o'clock on the dot, marking the end of another school day. The gang all hurried from their different classes to gather at what had become their official meeting point on the second floor landing. They planned to head into town and visit the mall before the shops closed, the perfect way to wind down after an arduous day of school.

When they first began to organise their trip a few days ago, Kurt was pleased to hear that Peggy had never been to a mall before, or at least, she'd never visited anything like the enormous complexes they had in America. He was excited to show her around his favourite shops and "introduce her to American culture", just as his friends had done for him. Peggy didn't think there was anything particularly exciting about a big shopping centre but she didn't want to discourage Kurt. So, she let him ramble on about the mall and all its wonders, just happy to sit and listen to him talk.

Jean was the first to arrive, swiftly followed by Jubilee, then Peggy, and finally Scott. They chattered for a few minutes, impatiently waiting for Kurt to show up. Considering he was so excited about the trip, Peggy thought it was strange that five minutes had passed and there was still no sign of him. Impatient as ever, Scott gave a weary groan and half-jogged down the corridor towards Kurt's room, the girls following in his wake. Scott knocked sharply, urging him to hurry up in his usual brusque fashion. They gathered around in a tight group, itching to get out into the open air and get a taste of teenage freedom. A few seconds later, the door swung open. Kurt looked less than pleased.

"I have _not_ had a good day." He said sourly. His hair was still damp from the shower, his ink blue skin appearing darker in the dimly lit hall. He left the doorway and they dutifully followed him inside, Peggy bringing up the rear. She'd never been in Kurt's room before. In some ways, it was exactly what she'd expected but there were a few pleasant surprises. He was relatively neat for an eighteen year old boy, his dirty clothes were all in a hamper beside the door, the few trinkets on top of his chest of drawers were tidily arranged, and there wasn't a speck of dust in sight. A small, spherical tank sat on his bedside table. Professor Xavier didn't allow pets in his mansion but Jubilee bought Kurt a packet of sea monkeys on a whim and he cared for them assiduously.

While she subtly snooped about his room, Kurt explained his lateness. Apparently, his experiment in Chemistry had gone horribly wrong and he and his lab partner had ended up covered in bright purple foam. He still didn't know what had gone wrong and kept muttering under his breath that he was sure he'd got every measurement correct. Hank let him leave early to have a shower but of course, Kurt's bad luck hadn't ended there. When he turned the water on, the handle on the tap came off in his hand and his bathroom almost flooded. He'd only just managed to clean up and have a shower before they knocked. Peggy smiled fondly as Kurt ran a hand through his hair, apologising for the seventeenth time.

She went over to his chest of drawers to see what lay there. Peggy found a stack of movie ticket stubs held together by an elastic band, a few little bracelets Jubilee had made for him, a number of cassette tapes, and a few books in a pile. They were grammar textbooks to help Kurt with his written English. Peggy smiled at the sight, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride. Kurt was so hardworking, she was glad it paid off.

She caught a glimpse of what looked like a photograph sticking out from underneath the pile. Peggy felt terribly nosey but she couldn't help herself. She reached over and lifted the corner of the books so she could slip the square of film out from underneath. She'd guessed correctly, it was a black and white photograph of Kurt, grinning away at the camera so that all his pointed teeth were on show.

"This is a nice picture." Kurt looked around curiously and blushed when he saw the photograph in her hands. It was the one Raven used to get him a passport and papers when leaving Berlin. He was given two copies and secretly kept the other.

"You think so?" He asked, a tentative smile on his face. When Peggy nodded, Kurt's expression brightened, his horrid day forgotten. "It was my first photograph, I'm glad it is a good one." Peggy frowned a little. Kurt didn't look much younger in the picture than he did now, but he said it was his first photograph.

"When was this taken?" She gestured with the photograph as she joined her friends. Peggy was careful to hold it by the edges, just as Kurt had done with her photograph of her family. He looked thoughtful for a moment as he calculated how much time had passed and wasn't surprised to find that it was almost a year to the day since the picture was taken. He told Peggy this and she almost dropped the photo, she was so shocked. "Only a year? And this was your first photograph?"

She couldn't wrap her head around it. But then Peggy remembered what Kurt had told her about his unstable upbringing. She gazed at the photograph in her hands, noting with no small amount of surprise that Kurt's boundless smile made her heart skip. She thought it was strange that he'd gone seventeen years without someone ever once taking his picture. The thought made Peggy quite sad. Kurt's long fingers tapped away against his thigh thoughtfully as he watched her.

"I have others now." He said, making Peggy look up from the photo. Kurt easily sensed her change in mood and was quick to make amends. "Look, see." Peggy followed his gesture and saw that Kurt had decorated the wall beside his bed with hundreds of Polaroids. She didn't know how she hadn't spotted them before, there were so many of them. The photos seeped across the wall by the head of his bed, a bright rainbow of memories for him to enjoy whenever he liked. "My friends. Everyone happy." Kurt murmured, his eyes darting between his collage and Peggy. He watched as she began to smile. Peggy leaned forward to get a closer look, her expression brightening as her gaze skimmed over the countless pictures.

There was one of Scott giving Jean bunny ears whilst she looked up at him with fond annoyance. Beside it was a photo of Kurt and Peter arm wrestling. Towards the top, there was a great picture of Jean and Jubilee holding sparklers on what looked like the Fourth of July. Perhaps Peggy's favourite was the slightly blurry photo of all four of her friends. They were bunched together so that they could all fit in, her ridiculous, amazing best friends all grinning up at the camera. Peggy made a mental note to ask for a copy of it.

"Why isn't this one up on the wall?" Kurt shrugged as he moved to sit down at his desk. He sat backwards in the chair, propping his chin up on crossed arms.

"I don't really care for it but I don't want to throw it away, you see?" Kurt didn't particularly like the photo but the fact that it was his first stopped him from parting with it. He'd never been especially sentimental but that was because he'd never owned anything worth missing before. Now that he had all these memories and possessions that were his and his alone, he finally understood why people found it hard to part with seemingly insignificant things. Peggy gazed thoughtfully at the photograph. When she looked up again, her face was tinged pink and she looked a little nervous.

"Could I maybe... Could I have it?" Peggy didn't have any pictures of her new friends yet. She'd have to fix that soon but in the meantime, she thought she could keep the photograph if Kurt didn't want it. It was a nice picture, his smile was so broad and uninhibited despite the pain and fear he had suffered. Peggy wanted a picture of him and this was Kurt as his most Kurt-ish.

"You want it?" He seemed genuinely surprised. Peggy could see her other friends staring at her, teasing her without even saying a word. She felt her face begin to grow hot and tried not to look at any of them.

"If that's alright with you, I don't want to..." Peggy misinterpreted his shock and thought he was upset, but Kurt was just surprised that Peggy wanted a photo of him.

"No, no, it's fine." He said, his words coming out just as fast as he rushed to reassure her. Kurt began to smile as the realisation set in. Peggy wanted his picture. Even though his knowledge of dating and romance was extremely limited, the connotations of her request were not lost on him. "Yes. Please, keep it." Peggy beamed back at him, pressing the photograph to her chest and making Kurt feel a little faint in the process.

"Thank you." Her simple words were filled with such genuine gratitude that it made their spectators feel they were interrupting something. Jean could hardly hold back her smirk. Without even needing to read her mind, she knew that Jubilee was seriously considering giving the pair some privacy. Jean looked at Scott and allowed her mutation to open up his thoughts to her. He sensed her presence and let her in.

 _'Get a room, am I right?'_

 _'Technically, this_ is _Kurt's room.'_

 _'Jean, why must you correct me in my own head?'_

"It'll have pride and place on my bedside table." Peggy promised. Kurt grinned, his long tail slowly wagging back and forth happily. Peggy began to root around in her bag, pretending she hadn't noticed.

"Where you can kiss it good night?" Scott snorted. Kurt gave him a look, knowing without a doubt that his face was beginning to grow violet with embarrassment but Peggy didn't even look up at Scott. She sighed deeply as she pulled out her school diary, slipping the photograph amongst its pages to keep it safe.

"I know for a fact you kiss your Michelle Pfeiffer poster every night before bed." She shot back once the diary was stored away in her bag again. All eyes turned to Scott. It was his turn to blush. He was almost as red as his glasses.

"What? How did you..?" It took him mere seconds to put two and two together. "Jean!"

They left soon after that. Although they were a little behind schedule, it hadn't dampened their spirits. The gang piled into Scott's car, an old, rickety thing that Peggy took one look at and regretted not writing a will. Jean called shotgun, while the rest had to squeeze themselves into the backseat. Jubilee took it upon herself to sit in the middle and separate the lovebirds. Scott was very grateful for her initiative, he didn't need to look in the review mirror and see Peggy and Kurt practically making out in the back of his car.

The ride was pretty long, perhaps half an hour or so, but they cranked the radio up high and opened all the windows to let in a breeze so the time flew by. When they arrived at the mall car park, Peggy didn't notice anything particularly miraculous about it until she shut her door. She turned to see where her friends had brought her and let out an inadvertent gasp. The building was square and sandy-coloured and absolutely enormous. Peggy had heard many stories about American shopping malls but there simply weren't enough words to describe the grandeur and enormity of the building before her.

"Woah." Beside her, Kurt nodded as if to say, 'I know, right?' The mall was oddly shaped, with one square building attached to a larger rectangle that stretched further than Peggy could see. There was an enormous glittering glass dome on top of the main body of the building that caught the dying afternoon sunlight. Scott made sure he had his wallet and keys then locked the car and began to walk across the lot. Peggy stopped her gawking, not wanting to be left behind.

Despite her excitement, she had to stifle a wide yawn. The thunderstorm had raged on into the night, keeping many of the mansion's inhabitants awake and uprooting a couple of saplings in the gardens. By the time breakfast was served, the last of the rain had thankfully stopped. Despite not getting very much sleep, Peggy was grateful for the storm. It had torn apart the sticky, humid June weather, making way for a much cooler climate. Although, when the sun went behind a cloud, it cast a shadow over them and a shiver ran over her skin. The wind picked up a little and Peggy regretted not bringing her jacket with her. Scott watched her hug herself out of the corner of his eye, her jaw set as she tried not to shiver again.

"Peggy's cold." He whispered to Kurt. They were walking in a horizontal line, Peggy was on the far end so he didn't have to worry about her overhearing them. Kurt frowned at him curiously then glanced over at Peggy

"She is?" She still had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her head slightly bowed. Scott nudged Kurt to regain his attention.

"Give her your jacket." Kurt looked even more bewildered than he did before.

"Was? Warum?"

"You'll thank me later." Scott insisted. He thought himself an incredible wingman but he never seemed to get any credit for it. His idea was bound to work, he'd be sure to pull in a few favours for this one. They were nearing the entrance to the mall and Kurt's window of opportunity was narrowing fast, so Scott nudged him again. Kurt gave him one last uncertain glance before he shrugged off his jacket. He ducked behind the girls and hurried over to walk beside Peggy. Before she could ask what he was up to, Kurt held up his jacket.

"Here." He said quietly, giving her a shy smile. Peggy looked between Kurt and his jacket then finally realised what he meant.

"Oh, thank you, Kurt." She stopped so that he could slip the jacket over her shoulders. She decided against putting it on properly, the arms were too long for her and she feared looking silly, so Peggy pulled the sides closer to her, curling her fists into the warm material. "That's really kind of you." She beamed up at him and Kurt had to look away, not wanting her to see him blush. "How do I look?" She laughed and Kurt's chest fluttered in a way that had become synonymous with talking to Peggy. He didn't know what it was, but seeing her wearing his clothes was like seeing a famously beautiful work of art in person for the first time. He silently thanked Scott for his quick thinking.

"Beautiful." He replied without really thinking about. Peggy was a little surprised by his answer, frankly so was Kurt. He opened his mouth to apologise but before he found the words, he realised two things. One: he _did_ think she was beautiful, why would he take it back? And two: Peggy was smiling at him so widely, he couldn't find the strength to look away, so clearly she wasn't upset. Kurt shut his mouth again. Peggy glanced towards her friends to make sure they hadn't heard Kurt, it would surely be teasing fodder for weeks but she found they had left them behind. She tutted and took Kurt's elbow.

"Come on." They hurried after their friends and caught up with them just as they were walking through the wide automatic doors. The interior of the mall was just as impressive as the outside. Their shoes tapped against polished floors as they made their way to the escalators. Peggy only got a brief glimpse of some of the shops as her friends led her over to a balcony on the very top floor.

From here, they could see everything. There were hundreds of shops of all different kinds, mostly clothes and shoes but she spotted an electronics store and a place to buy musical instruments amongst the fray. Below them lay a food court brimming with people eating a late lunch or an early dinner. Peggy was sceptical when Kurt described the wonder and majesty of the mall, but only now that she was actually here did she realise he wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. Peggy had never seen so many shops in one place before, and the noise, that gentle buzz of human activity, it was so inviting, even strangely comforting.

Scott quickly grew bored of admiring the view and began to wander off down one side of the mall with Kurt at his side. Jubilee soon followed after them but Jean waited patiently for Peggy to come to her senses before she led her away from the balcony. Scott and Kurt announced they were going to get Kurt a haircut and that they would be back soon. Peggy asked if Kurt wanted his jacket back but he merely smiled and shook his head before Scott dragged him away.

She watched him leave, trying unsuccessfully to bite back a smile. They walked slowly into the nearest shop, they had all the time in the world. Peggy delved into a rail of clothes, trying to get her mind off Kurt, again with little success. On the opposite side of the rail, Jubilee was staring at her. Peggy could feel her eyes on her but finished flicking through the shirts on display before she looked up.

"So," Said Jubilee, smirking delightedly. "You're wearing his jacket now." Beside her, Jean snorted. They weren't trying to be mean, they just thought it was funny that Kurt would innocently do something they'd only ever seen couples do. What was even more amusing was how pleased Peggy clearly was by the whole thing. She shrugged, running her fingers over the material of one sleeve absentmindedly.

"It's quite a showstopper." Peggy murmured, artfully changing the subject and making her friends exchange knowing glances. She was being very polite. The jacket was bright red and made of fake leather that shone under the fluorescent lights. "Whose idea was it?"

"When he first arrived, Scott thought it would be a good idea to teach Kurt about America. So, naturally, we went to the mall." Jean answered, smiling slightly at the memory. She could still remember the first time she met Kurt, he was a little shy but so pleased to meet them. He and Jubilee were best friends by lunchtime and it didn't take much longer for Scott and Jean to take a shine to him. "He was wearing clothes that were all the wrong sizes and this huge trench coat, so the first thing we did was get him some new clothes." Jean gestured vaguely in the direction of the store they had stopped in. Peggy remembered the clothes she described from the picture Kurt had kindly let her keep. "Scott picked out most of it but Kurt chose the jacket."

"He thought it was cool." Said Jubilee, shaking her head wearily. "I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise." Peggy felt strangely offended. Kurt wore the jacket religiously, it was part of who he was. Yes, perhaps it was a little gaudy but then again, Jubilee was practically sewn into her sunny yellow jacket, so who was she to judge? Peggy voiced her thoughts, making Jubilee scoff. She reached across the clothes rail and slapped her shoulder lightly. Peggy put her arms into the sleeves of Kurt's jacket and slipped her hands into its deep pockets. Inside she found a gum wrapper, a couple of coins and strangely, a marble. She'd have to ask about that later.

"I think it's nice." Peggy picked up the conversation again as they made their way over to the next set of clothes racks. She knew they'd only torment her about it but she couldn't help defending Kurt's jacket, especially when he'd kindly given it to her to wear. Jubilee rolled her eyes.

"Of course you do." She muttered, and it was Peggy's turn to reach out and lightly hit her arm.

They left the clothes shop and wandered into the accessory shop next door. Jubilee slung a dozen plastic, neon necklaces around Jean's neck then stood back to admire her handiwork while the girls giggled. The shop owner glanced over and Jean swiftly put the necklaces back on the shelf. She bought a couple of bracelets and anklets that she'd fallen in love with and Jubilee persuaded Peggy into buying a handful of scrunchies so that she could teach her how to make her hair a little more interesting. Outrageous hair wasn't really the fashion where Peggy was from but she humoured her friend and promised she'd try to be a good student.

They were walking out of a third shop when Scott and Kurt finally caught up with them. They weren't hard to pick out amongst the crowds, one boy with strange red glasses and another noticeably tall and even more noticeably, blue. Peggy smiled when she saw her friends but when they came closer, her smile grew into a broad grin.

"Wow, look at you!" She cried, unable to hide her delight. Kurt's hair was much shorter, it no longer fell into his eyes, but what was so surprising was that it had gone very curly. Peggy wished she'd had time to prepare herself, just seeing his soft blue and black hair like this made her knees weak. She knew she was staring but she couldn't help it. Kurt looked shyly down at his feet and a couple of his curls bounced around. Peggy's mouth fell open but she thankfully caught herself before anyone noticed.

"It goes like this when it's shorter." He murmured, gesturing vaguely towards his hair. Peggy nodded her approval.

"I love it!" She was so distracted by his new look that she didn't see the way her friends were smiling and nudging each other behind her. Kurt certainly noticed though. He saw Scott wriggle his eyebrows at him over Peggy's shoulder and decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Come, I will show you the record store." He murmured close to her ear. He took Peggy by the hand and led her away from their friends who were still snickering. A few people looked their way as he guided her through the cavernous mall, but Kurt had learned to ignore the stares and Peggy was so happy to be holding his hand that she didn't notice them.

The record store was at the other end of the mall on the ground floor. It was small and unimposing from the outside, just a couple of turntables sat in the window. The name 'Francisco's Records' was written above the door in bright yellow letters. Kurt saw the unimpressed look on Peggy's face and almost laughed. The store didn't look like much but it had become like a second home to him. "Come on." Kurt urged her gently before he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Not wanting to be left behind, Peggy followed him.

A man stood behind a counter beside the door, smoking a cigarette and reading a newspaper. He looked up when they walked in and gave Kurt a cursory nod as if he recognised him. Kurt raised a hand in response. There were only a couple of people in the store, mostly kids fresh from school. Records decorated every wall, some of them were very rare but Peggy was more interested in the treasure trove of LPs that filled every available surface, some in boxes, some in display cases, but most in a long shelf that stretched from one end of the store to the other. That was where Kurt headed first. He tried to pick out a new record every two weeks if he had the money. Each time he tried out a different band, composer, or genre, trying to consume as much media as possible.

Peggy watched him delve into a box off to the side, his long fingers flicking through the records with ease. She didn't want to disturb him in his happy place so she wandered alone through the aisles. She toyed with a couple of cassette tapes first but soon found her way back to the main row of LPs in the centre of the store. She glanced over her shoulder at Kurt after a few minutes and saw he'd found his way to the very back of the store, his tail wagging happily from side to side. She smiled to herself and looked back down at the box in front of her. She found a Cyndi Lauper LP and considered buying it but changed her mind.

"Hey." Peggy tentatively looked up, the new voice making her wary. A boy stood on the other side of the boxes. He was perhaps a year or two older than her, with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His smile was wide and showed off perfect straight, white teeth. Peggy gave him a small smile in response.

"Hi." She looked back down at the box of LPs, hoping that would be the end of their conversation. When Peggy glanced up at the boy again to see if he was still looking at her, she found he was occupied by the box of records in front of him. Despite this, she knew he would try to talk to her again. It wasn't that she was unfriendly, boys just very rarely had friendship in mind when they approached her. Peggy tried to ignore him and continued to quickly pick through the records until she found another one that interested her. She slipped it out from the middle of the box and held it between two hands, flipping it over to read the track list on the reverse.

"That's a good album, I recommend it." The boy's voice interrupted her reading. Repressing a sigh, Peggy lowered Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures'. She studied him for a second, trying to ascertain his intentions before deciding she'd give him a chance. Clearly, he didn't abide by the same rules she did about talking to strangers, values Peggy had discovered after only a few months in America were somewhat unique to her homeland.

"Do you work here?" Perhaps that was the reason he was so intent on striking up a conversation. That theory collapsed when the boy shook his head.

"No, I just saw a pretty girl and thought I'd help out." He gave her a broad smile, clearly feeling very proud of himself. There it was. Peggy only just refrained from rolling her eyes, not wanting to be mean. She slipped the album back in amongst the others and continued to rifle through the box with nimble fingers. "That's a nice accent." The boy went on, obviously not picking up on her reluctance. "You an exchange student?"

"You could say that." Peggy shrugged, giving the boy a little smile to be polite. He stopped half-heartedly looking through the LPs and stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"I'm Jason." He introduced himself. Before Peggy could take his hand, another large, blue one took her place.

"I'm Kurt, Kurt Wagner. Pleasure to meet you." She almost jumped at his voice. Kurt was close to her side, practically pressed up against her. Peggy had yet to figure out how he moved so silently. Still, she was glad he was there. She looked down when she felt something move against her leg and found Kurt's tail beginning to wrap protectively around her calf. His grip was tight enough so she knew he was there and in control, but she could still move away if she wanted. Kurt was smiling widely at Jason but she could sense a coldness to his tone that made it look like he was almost baring his teeth. Jason seemed to sense it too. He gazed up at Kurt, his expression a confused mix of awe and shock.

"Woah." He breathed, clearly taken-aback by Kurt's appearance. Mutants still faced a lot of adversity but as always, the younger generations were the most accepting. Jason wasn't frightened or disgusted, just surprised. He got over it quickly. He took a step back even though he'd never been less than a meter away from Peggy, his hands raised in a sign of peace. "Sorry, man. No harm done." The boy scurried away and Peggy turned to Kurt with eyebrows raised. He watched the boy until he was out of sight somewhere in the back of the shop before he met her gaze.

"Was he bothering you?" His voice was quiet but grave, his scarlet eyes aglow in the low light of the shop. Peggy held his gaze for a moment before answering.

"Well, talking to strangers always bothers me but apart from that..." She was trying to get Kurt to relax. His shoulders were tensed and raised high, his breathing almost imperceptibly heavier than usual making his chest puff out. His hands tightly gripped a record he'd selected. Peggy looked him up and down with just her eyes, keeping her chin raised. "Look at you all macho." She teased as she met his gaze again. Kurt immediately deflated, his shoulders dropping and his expression losing all its tension.

"It wasn't anything like that, I just thought-" Kurt suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed. He didn't know what had come over him. One minute he was happily flicking through a box of Michael Jackson albums and the next, he sees some guy talking to Peggy and before he knew it, he was by her side. He just couldn't stand the way the guy looked at her. Something in his head simply snapped. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have interrupted." His voice dropped to an ashamed murmur. Under her knowing gaze, he shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. Peggy pressed her lips together, compressing a smile. She shrugged and turned back to the record stand.

"I thought it was nice actually. Jealousy suits you." Her words were uttered so carelessly that it took Kurt a second to register what she'd actually said. He began to splutter. His tail slipped away from her calf and began to curl nervously behind his feet.

"What? Jealous? I wasn't-" Peggy could tell Kurt was going to try and spin her some story full of holes, so she stopped him before he had the chance. She turned to face him and stopped his words with just a smirk.

"It was cute." Kurt stopped mid-word, his lips parted with clear shock. Peggy tried to stop herself looking down at his mouth but it was just so gorgeous, she couldn't resist. His soft lips tugged back at the corners, making little creases appear by the sides of his mouth, distorting the intricate scars that rose from his skin. Kurt couldn't decide if he was more surprised or pleased.

"It was?" Peggy glanced down and saw his tail happily flicking behind him. She met his gaze again and beamed back, determined not to say anything more just to tease him. Kurt ran a hand through his new curly hair then rubbed the back of his neck, making him look even more adorable and tearing down the last of Peggy's resistance. Kurt watched as she opened her mouth to speak, his mind reeling as he dared to imagine what she might say next, but she was interrupted by a coarse voice.

"Hey!" They looked around and saw it was the man behind the counter who had called to them. He seemed to be talking to Kurt in particular. "Hey, kid!" The man got up from his seat behind the desk, stubbing out what remained of his cigarette as he passed. As soon as Peggy realised he was coming to confront them, she jumped in front of Kurt. The man, most likely Francisco, was tall and broad and stank of tobacco but Peggy was not deterred. She tried to make herself look as imposing as possible as the man ambled towards them.

"Oi!" She spat, drawing on all the ferocity that sat deep within her. "Back off, alright! He hasn't done anything wrong!" She didn't like being angry but something inside of her sprang to life whenever her friends were threatened, especially Kurt. She couldn't help herself, all someone had to do was raise their voice in his direction and she saw red. A few of the other customers looked their way and the store owner raised his hands, giving them a warm smile and they went back to browsing. Francisco pressed his palms together, shaking his head slowly.

"I don't mean any harm, I swear." He assured her, even taking a small step back to show they had nothing to fear. Kurt didn't think the man would hurt him, whenever he came in, the small talk they shared was always civil and friendly. But Peggy wasn't nearly so trusting. She didn't move from her position in front of Kurt, watching every move the man made, her eyes full of fire. Francisco sighed and dropped his hands. "My, um, my daughter she's..." He glanced towards the other customers and dropped his voice. "She's like you."

"She's a mutant?" Kurt didn't bother lowering his voice. He moved out from behind Peggy and stood beside her, so close that her shoulder brushed his arm. Francisco flinched at the word, looking over at his customers to make sure they hadn't overheard him. It wasn't that he was ashamed, quite the opposite in fact, but there were many who weren't quite so accepting and he didn't want one of his regular customers to be afraid of visiting his store, especially such a nice young man.

"I see you and your friends in here a lot. You always look so happy." Francisco smiled slightly and Peggy relaxed her stance. He clearly wasn't going to do them any harm but she kept alert, just in case. Kurt was far too precious for her to let her guard down so easily. Francisco cleared his throat awkwardly and looked over his shoulder again before continuing. "I just wanted to know... I heard there's a school. Do you go there?" Peggy and Kurt exchanged glances. She thought about how earnest the man sounded and the honesty in his expression. Peggy gave a slight nod, giving her approval. It was up to Kurt, it was his choice to decide whether he wanted to help the man. Of course, he didn't have to think twice.

"Yes." Kurt gave a firm little nod. "It is a safe place." Francisco looked relieved but Peggy couldn't be sure whether it was because they trusted him, or because his hopes had been confirmed. Perhaps both.

"That's what I want for my daughter. I want her to be safe." Francisco nodded hurriedly. Kurt looked back to Peggy. He clearly trusted the man, she knew he was silently asking if she did too. Peggy ran her eyes over the store owner, sizing him up. She couldn't help but admire Kurt's trusting nature, without him by her side she never would have spoken to this man who only wanted their help. With a slight sigh, Peggy let her shoulders drop.

"How old is she?" She asked quietly, giving the man a small but kind smile. Francisco was pleased that he'd won her trust as well. He seemed to understand that she was wary so he didn't waste any time in replying.

"Eleven." Francisco's voice softened and so did Peggy's heart. She felt bad for being so defensive, this man was only trying to do right by his little girl. She looked up at Kurt and gave him another nod, this one much more confident than the first. He was pleased to have her support, he wanted to help the man but Peggy's opinion mattered to him. If she approved then so did he.

"Have you got a piece of paper?" Francisco ran to the counter and came back a second later with a scrap of receipt and a pen. Kurt leaned on the record he intended to buy as he scribbled something down on the paper. "This is the address and phone number." He told Francisco, looking up at the man briefly as he wrote. When he was done, he clicked the pen closed and handed back the receipt paper. "If you come by with your daughter, someone can show you around." Francisco looked happily surprised, his thick eyebrows almost getting lost in his hairline.

"Really? Just like that?" Peggy felt Kurt's eyes on her. She gave the man a warm smile.

"We'd be very happy to have your daughter at Xavier's school." Francisco looked overjoyed. He read over the scrap of paper again, then pressed it to his chest, holding it between both hands as if it was a precious gift.

"Gee, you guys are nice." He slipped the paper into his pocket to keep it safe then smiled broadly and gestured to the record that Kurt held. "Take that, free of charge." Kurt's jaw fell open. He clutched the record close to his chest and Peggy finally saw what it was. Kurt had chosen Prince's latest album 'Purple Rain'. It had only come out a few weeks ago and Kurt had been saving up to buy it. She remembered him telling her about it, he'd sounded so excited.

"Really?" Kurt breathed, as if he couldn't believe that someone could be so generous. Peggy looked up at Francisco, silently asking if he was being serious. Francisco smiled at the two teenagers and nodded. Kurt's grin was so wide, they could see every one of his pointed teeth.

"Thank you for this." Francisco went on, patting his pocket where the mansion's address was safely stored. He'd seen a lot of mutant kids come into his store over the years, although none of them were quite as blatantly different as Kurt. If he could live safely at Xavier's school, then so could Francisco's little girl. He just wanted her to look as happy as the kids in front of him.

Francisco went to the counter to get Kurt a carrier bag for his record and they dutifully followed him. "You make a nice couple." The man commented as he ducked down behind the counter for the bag. Peggy blanched, wondering what it was about them that made people think that she and Kurt were together. She felt Kurt's tail brush her foot again and remembered it wasn't often that she wasn't right by his side.

"Oh, we're not-" She began to correct the man, intending to be a lot more articulate with him than she was when Annie made the same mistake. But before she could get any further, Kurt spoke up with uncharacteristic boldness.

"Thank you." He sent Peggy a mischievous grin as he took the carrier bag and she gave him a wry smile in response. Kurt turned back to the store owner and thanked him again with a slight nod. "Have a good day."

"You too." Said Francisco, bidding them goodbye. Kurt led Peggy back out of the store, grasping his purchase tight as if he was afraid it might be taken from him. They wandered directionless for a few moments as Kurt admired the gift Francisco had given him but after a moment, Peggy spoke up.

"You should ask if they have any vacancies." She suggested, nodding back in the direction of the record store. Kurt looked up from his new LP with a puzzled frown.

"Vacancies?"

"Job vacancies. You know, for weekends or something." Peggy slid her hands into the pocket of his jacket. It was only then that Kurt noticed she was still wearing it. It suited her, he'd never get tired of seeing her wearing his clothes. It was perhaps a little big and only her fingers poked out from the sleeves but seeing her in his jacket stirred something within him that he'd have to ask Scott about later. He looked back down at his precious record, sliding his thumb lovingly over the cover.

"I don't know if he'd want me working in his store." He said quietly, a shy smile on his face. Peggy stopped and leaned back against the wall, crossing her ankles. She tilted her head in confusion, she thought Kurt would love her idea.

"Why not?" Peggy shrugged with her whole body, making his large jacket move up and down comically. "He knows you, he likes you, you know everything there is to know about music. C'mon, he'd be mad to turn you away." Kurt chuckled at her words. He couldn't help agreeing with her but still, there was a small voice in his head telling him not to take her advice. Kurt studied Peggy for a moment, his gaze slowly travelling from her red lips down to her shoes. She didn't feel uncomfortable under his eyes like she did with the boy from the record store. She liked having Kurt look at her. He met her eyes again and felt his face grow hot. Kurt looked away and gave her a crooked smile.

"I think... Maybe he would not want someone..." He gestured vaguely towards himself and Peggy instantly understood. It wasn't often that Kurt was self-conscious, in fact, he seemed very comfortable in his skin, considering what he'd been through. But there was something about being put in a position of authority, all those people looking at him... It would be just like the circus. Those had been some of the best years of his life but the stares were not always full of awe. He didn't want to feel like that again and he certainly didn't want to let Francisco down. "Someone who is so…"

Peggy felt her heart sink at the look on his face. His confidence was gone, his long fingers tapping anxiously against the record in his hands. Kurt would do an amazing job in the shop but she knew it was hard to be confident when others were so hell-bent on knocking you down. She couldn't allow him to think that he was anything less than incredible. Peggy tilted her head to the side, trying to meet his eyes but he was looking down at his feet.

"What? Charming?" Kurt finally looked up and she raised her eyebrows. "Funny? Handsome?" Kurt snorted and looked down at his feet again but this time it was to hide his blush. He went to put his hands in his pockets but remembered Peggy was wearing his jacket. She knew she'd embarrassed him, Peggy could see that his face had flushed a vivid purple. Kurt bit his lip, trying to bite back a smile but he couldn't manage it. He grinned at Peggy, his expression so bright it could light up the gloomiest room.

"You think I'm handsome?" He asked, which she thought was rather cheeky of him. Of course he would focus on that. One minute he was self-conscious, the next his ego inflated like a hot air balloon. Peggy could hardly keep track. She rolled her eyes at him, feeling her own face starting to heat up. She pushed herself away from the wall and began to walk in the direction of the escalator.

"Kurt, we both know I think you're God's gift." Actually, he didn't know that but her sudden confession made his heartbeat pick up. Kurt watched Peggy walk away, entranced by the click of her shoes and the swing of her hips. He swallowed thickly and followed after her, sending a prayer of thanks heavenwards for bringing her into his life. Peggy hopped onto the bottom step of the escalator and turned to find Kurt on the stair beneath hers. The staggered steps allowed them to be exactly the same height for the first time. Kurt smiled slowly, his head tilted to the side.

"I will apply." Peggy was pleased to hear it. He'd do an amazing job, and where better to work than his favourite place in the whole world? "Will you?" Peggy shook her head.

"I've got my sights set on somewhere else." Before he could ask what she meant by that, she turned on her heel and gracefully hopped off the escalator. Peggy hooked her arm through his. She led him over to the cinema that lay in front of the escalators. It was brimming with people, again mostly school kids, but there was a group of older guys all squabbling over the movie they'd just seen and a couple sharing a drink in the corner.

Peggy raised her free hand and gestured towards the cinema with a huge smile. "Free popcorn, free posters, previews!" Back home in Ireland, she had a Saturday job at the local cinema and loved every second of it. If she was going to get a job anywhere, it would be right here. "A dream come true." She added, making Kurt chuckle. He looked up at the display board above their heads, curious as to what films were showing. He didn't see anything new but there was one movie that stuck out.

"I've just had an idea." Kurt reached over and took her wrist in his hand, looking at her watch. It had only just gone four and their curfew began at eight. "We have time." He decided, letting go of her arm again, much to Peggy's disappointment. "Do you want to see 'Temple of Doom'?" A long time had passed since they originally made plans to go to the movies but Kurt was still determined to see the film. He remembered the disappointed look on Peggy's face last Saturday when she realised they wouldn't be able to go but they promised they would reschedule. Although Kurt was a little nervous about asking her, there was nothing to stop them from going now. To his relief, Peggy nodded enthusiastically.

"I'd love to." She agreed, squeezing his arm. Kurt could hardly contain his excitement. He couldn't decide if this was a date or not but he was too afraid to ask. What if Peggy said no? Or worse, what if she said yes? He'd never been on a date before, he didn't really know what he was supposed to do. Peggy had had boyfriends before, what if she expected something of him but he didn't do it? Kurt was seriously regretting his decision now, and was about to try and back out of it but Peggy gently pulled him into the cinema foyer. He was beginning to feel sick with nerves but then she shot him a wide grin. Peggy wanted this, she wanted to be here. Kurt took a deep, calming breath and his nerves relaxed.

He let Peggy pull him over to the counter, chatting a mile a minute about how excited she was about the film and how awesome it was going to be. Kurt was just choosing whether to get salted or sweet popcorn when he thought he heard a strange noise. He looked up from the counter and out of the cinema entrance. He could see the whole mall from here, even some of the level below them. Beneath the buzz of voices and the footsteps and the music, Kurt could hear something else, something different. His ears twitched when he heard it again, a little louder now. It was metallic and very distant, but he knew he wasn't imagining it.

"Did you hear that?" He murmured, tapping Peggy on the shoulder. She looked around to see him staring out of the cinema at the mall, his whole body tensed.

"Hear what?" She craned her neck to try and see what had captured his attention. She couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary but Kurt's hearing was far superior to hers and the metallic sound was getting louder now. Peggy saw the cashier waving at them, they were next. "Kurt, c'mon, let's go." She urged him gently but he was still as a statue and just as immovable. Now he had her worried. What could he sense that she couldn't?

Peggy looked back out at the mall again but she still couldn't see anything. The cashier waved to them again impatiently and she sighed, deciding to just leave Kurt to it. There was a long line of people behind them and she didn't want to keep them waiting. She moved to place their orders but Kurt suddenly grabbed her by the arm. She let out an inadvertent gasp, his grip was strong and he'd surprised her.

"Peggy, wait." The sound was closer now. It was rhythmic, perhaps a beat per second like a metronome. Or a clock. Kurt heard the beating suddenly pick up in speed and felt his heart drop in his chest. Before he could tell Peggy to get down, the ticking abruptly stopped and the mall exploded.


	10. Chapter 10

When Peggy woke up, she was on the other side of the room. There were no lights, plunging the mall into a half-darkness. The constant noise had finally ceased. Everything was very still. She thought for a moment that she might be dead but when she drew in a breath, she inhaled a cloud of dust. As she coughed and spluttered, Peggy tried to sit up.

Her head swam and she groaned, closing her eyes again to help stave off the dizziness. Her head hurt like hell. Peggy tentatively placed her hand at the base of her skull where the majority of the pain throbbed. When she drew her hand away, there was thankfully no blood. A siren wailed in the distance, an alarm bell, growing louder and louder as she came to terms with consciousness.

Bits and pieces were slowly coming back to her. She was at the mall. Something had exploded. She was there with someone. Suddenly Peggy didn't feel any pain. Kurt. Where was Kurt? She forced herself to get to her feet. Her legs swayed beneath her but she stuck out her arm and grabbed onto the wall. Now she was upright, she could see more of her surroundings.

They were very lucky, the cinema had survived the explosion. The lights were all out but daylight flooded in through the glass dome in the ceiling and she could see people all around her. Fortunately, everyone seemed relatively unharmed. Most had got to their feet and were helping others up. A teenager who worked at the cinema was behind the snacks counter, frantically trying to reassure people whilst calling for help, but it appeared the phones were down. Peggy ignored all the commotion around her. She was only looking for one person.

"Kurt?" She tried to call out to him but her voice came out hoarse and stretched. She tried again but her cry was buried under the noise of the entire mall shouting and screaming. "Kurt!"

"Peggy?" She span around, her heart in her mouth, and saw her friend on the other side of the cinema. Kurt looked shaken and afraid but otherwise unscathed. With a relieved sob, Peggy hurried across the room, weaving through the crowds to fall into his outstretched arms. Kurt pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. "Danke. Mein Gott, danke." He murmured against her neck, his warm breath expanding over her skin.

Peggy was pressed so tight against his chest, she could feel his heart hammering under her hand. He was just as frightened for her as she was for him. Kurt pulled away to get a good look at her, his scarlet eyes searching for any sign of injury. Neither of them had suffered any superficial wounds but Peggy hit her head when she fell and Kurt's left ankle twinged with pain from where he'd sharply twisted it. "Peggy, mein Liebling, bist du verletzt?" At any other time, the term of endearment would have had her heart somersaulting, but Peggy was just too shocked and disoriented.

"I'm fine. I think I hit my head but I'm okay. Are you alright?" Her hands squeezing the tops of his arms as she spoke, trying to get him to relax. She had no idea what happened but they were both safe and that was all that mattered. Kurt nodded quickly but didn't have a chance to speak. The teenager had given up on the phone and was evacuating the cinema. Somewhere in the mall, the alarm was still whirring. Peggy watched the flood of people seeping out of the theatre then turned back to Kurt. "We need to leave." She decided, having to raise her voice over the cacophony around them. He nodded his agreement but just as Peggy was about to join the crowds, he took her arm.

"The others." Peggy felt her chest squeeze. In all the confusion, she'd forgotten they weren't at the mall alone. Their friends were still out there. Were they safe? What if they'd been close to the explosion? Peggy shook those thoughts from her mind as quickly as they surfaced. She couldn't think like that, she had to be productive.

Peggy gestured for Kurt to follow her then joined the clamour of people evacuating the cinema. The escalators had all stopped as well as the tinny music that usually echoed through the shopping centre. Peggy wondered if the explosion had taken out the electricity. Mall attendants were herding people towards the stairs, asking them to move quickly but to remain calm.

They ducked and broke away from the crowd, keeping low as they hurried in the opposite direction. They passed unnoticed, the security guards were overwhelmed with people and they luckily slipped under the radar. As they ran along the length of the first floor, Kurt glanced back to see what had caused the explosion. The wall beneath the cinema had been completely blown away, blackening the floor and leaving a pile of rubble where a pizza place used to stand on the edge of the food court. The security guards were shepherding people towards the fire exit whilst others surveyed the damage.

Kurt tapped Peggy's arm and pointed to the detonation point. She gasped when she saw how close they were to the explosion. She thanked her lucky stars that the extent of the bomb hadn't reached the cinema, otherwise both she and Kurt would be goners. He scanned the crowds, searching for his friends. He was relieved to see Francisco amongst the fray, but there was no sign of Jean, Jubilee or Scott. Peggy took his arm and they began to run again, keeping away from the protective glass barrier that ran along the edge of the first floor, trying to keep out of sight.

They looked for their friends in every shop they passed but it was hard to do. Hundreds of people swarmed out of every store, heading in the direction the mall attendants told them. It was like looking for three needles in a haystack, exacerbated by the overwhelming panic that surged through the mall. They circled round to the other side without seeing a single sign of any of their friends. Just as Kurt was starting to worry, he thought he heard someone call their names. He grabbed Peggy's arm to stop her from charging off and waited with baited breath, straining to hear over the din.

"Kurt! Peggy!" The second cry was just as soft as the first but now they were listening for it, it was much clearer. Peggy craned her neck to see who was calling to them but Kurt tapped her arm and pointed over to an alcove in the wall. When she saw what he had, Peggy felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Jubilee!" She was crouched down behind the corner, her shoulders hunched up to make herself as small as possible. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she waved them over. Peggy and Kurt ran across the length of the mall whilst Jubilee fearfully kept watch over their shoulders. They knelt beside her, quickly asking if she was alright. Jubilee was unharmed but she was alone and terrified for her friends.

"It was a bomb. Someone set off a bomb downstairs. I saw the explosion." She told them, keeping her voice to a whisper. She tried to make out that it was because they were hiding but really Jubilee was scared out of her mind and her voice wouldn't work properly. Peggy glanced at Kurt and was somewhat relieved to see he looked just as alarmed as she felt. It wasn't an accident after all, someone had planted a bomb, someone wanted to harm them. But then again, they hadn't seen or heard of anyone being hurt. Who would seek to destroy a public building without injuring any of its visitors?

"Where're the others?" Kurt asked, trying to keep them all on task. Fear could keep you focused but it could also freeze you up. They needed to remember their training and keep calm. Jubilee shook her head.

"I don't know. I left them to go to the bathroom. They said they were going to the smoothie bar upstairs." She pointed to the escalators that led up to the next floor. All Peggy needed was to see the resolute expressions on her friends' faces to know that they were all thinking the same thing. They gathered themselves, mentally and physically, then straightened up. Most of the people had been evacuated but there were still hundreds dotted around the mall. Families, other teenagers, shop assistants, they were all terrified. They made sure they all knew where they were going just in case they got separated by the heaving crowds, then got ready to leave their hideout.

"Let's go." Kurt murmured, and so they did. The three X-Men kept low as they scurried across the mall, weaving through the crowds with ease. They kept close together for fear of getting separated, which came in handy when Kurt suddenly spotted a commotion down on the ground floor. He stopped Jubilee who stopped Peggy and they all crowded around the glass barrier to watch what was occurring downstairs. A woman screamed and suddenly all eyes were on the blast site.

A dozen men came marching through the hole made in the wall, all armed with enormous guns clutched in big meaty hands. Someone else screamed as more and more armed troops flooded the ground floor, and the orderly queues the mall attendants had worked so hard to maintain suddenly broke. The people scattered, running in a hundred different directions in primal panic. "We have to help." Kurt's eyes were wide as he watched the chaos unfold below. He prepared to teleport downstairs but Jubilee took his arm before he could.

"Wait, look!" She pointed to one of the fire exits that dotted the ground floor. Two of the gunmen were standing either side of the exit, guiding people through the door and out to safety. "They're letting them go?" Jubilee's bewildered tone matched Peggy's turbulent thoughts. These people looked nothing like police, they had no uniforms, they looked more like armed thugs, and yet there were at least two men at each of the exits, helping people get to safety. Some held a small black device and seemed to be scanning the crowds as they flooded by. Kurt narrowed his eyes but he couldn't see what the machines were for.

"There are so many." Peggy breathed as more of the armoured troops seeped into the mall. There had to be at least fifty of them now, all huge and scarred and terrifying. The crowds finally thinned, there were only a couple of people left milling about. One man barked an order and two small squadrons broke away from the rest, scattering around the ground floor. They raised their guns but didn't prepare to fire.

"What're they doing?" Jubilee wondered aloud as she watched two gunmen disappear into the chemist below them. They were looking for something, but what? The small group moved away from the glass and hurried closer to where the majority of the armoured people stood. The man who had given out the orders seemed to be the one in charge. He stood away from the others, talking into a walkie-talkie. Kurt strained to hear what he was saying as they ducked out of sight.

"They'll be here, boss." The man's voice was deep and gravelly. A long scar ran from his right eye down his neck where it disappeared under his bulletproof vest. The walkie-talkie crackled and whoever his boss was replied. Kurt couldn't hear what he was saying, they were too far away but they saw the man nod. The last evacuee left through the fire exit and suddenly there was an odd, uncomfortable silence in the mall. "We followed them from the school. They're here." The man spoke in a low voice, so low that Kurt didn't catch all that he said.

"What's he saying?" Peggy asked, looking between Kurt and the man below them. She knew that Kurt's hearing was far better than hers and Jubilee's and she hoped he'd be able to enlighten them. Kurt's mouth twisted as he concentrated on the man.

"They're looking for someone." He could only hear snatches of conversation which he had to piece together like a jigsaw. Jubilee shifted so that she was kneeling down and pressed her face up close to the glass, shielding her eyes so that she could see better.

"Who?" Kurt watched the man as he paced across the floor. He passed right underneath them and they shrank back. Peggy pressed close against Kurt's side, her heart thudding against her ribs. All her instincts were telling her to run but her friends were still nowhere to be found and she'd be damned if she left without them. The man paused as the walkie-talkie crackled. Kurt saw his chance and leaned right up against the glass, but the man merely gave a brusque 'yes, sir' and slipped the device into a pocket in his vest. He turned to the remaining group of soldiers and waved his hand. They'd scanned the crowds as they departed with tech provided by their benefactors. He wasn't sure how they worked but they could detect if they were the mutants they were

Frank Heaney turned to his remaining group of soldiers and waved his hand. They'd scanned the crowds as they departed with tech provided by their benefactors. He wasn't sure how they worked but the little machines could detect the mutants they were looking for. Frank hoped the technology would develop quickly so that one day, they could detect a mutant freak from a mile away but these prototypes would do for now. The kids hadn't shown up, they were still inside the mall somewhere.

"Sweep the building, make sure they're no humans left." Frank ordered and the people immediately sprang into action. His voice was so loud that it echoed through the mall. No one could have missed it, especially not the three teenagers sitting not far above his head. Kurt turned to his friends and saw that their eyes were as wide as his.

"Us." He realised, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're here for us." That's why the soldiers had helped the others out of the exits. They were looking for them in particular. These soldiers had blown a hole in the side of the mall, terrifying people out of their minds, just to get to them.

"We need to get upstairs now." Said Jubilee, fighting to stop her voice shaking. If they were scared before, the knowledge that they were being hunted had them downright terrified. Just as they were preparing to leave, there was a loud 'shunk' sound and all of a sudden, the lights sprang back on. The backup generator finally kicked in and brought the mall to life. The man below them hissed at the sudden brightness. The trio jumped away from the glass but they were too late. Their movement caught Frank's eye and he did a double-take. They backed away from the glass, hearts beating a mile a minute. Peggy hoped he would think it was just a trick of the light.

"Hey!" Frank cried, pointing right at them. _Never mind._ Not wanting to stick around to find out what he wanted from them, the trio turned and fled. They didn't really have a plan, they just needed to get upstairs and away from whoever these people were. They didn't look back. Down on the ground floor, Frank watched the teenagers until they disappeared from sight. He yanked his walkie-talkie from its holster and snarled into the speaker. "I think I found them, boss." He didn't have to wait long for a reply.

"You sure?" Frank's lip twitched. His boss' lack of faith was irritating but he held his tongue.

"It's the girl you described and the blue freak."

"Is there another guy with them, silver hair?"

"Nah, just some other mutie, I think."

"Bring them all in." Frank nodded then pocketed the walkie-talkie. A few men remained on the floor by the exits, just itching to start shooting. He waved them over and began to relay instructions, desperate to make his superiors proud.

The escalators still hadn't come back on, probably some sort of emergency safety procedure, so the trio had to find the stairwell on the opposite side of the mall from their attackers. The climb was long but they didn't see anyone else. They reached the second floor and Jubilee led them over to the smoothie bar where she hoped her friends might still be hiding. The stand was far off but Peggy was still worried when she couldn't see any sign of them straight away.

As they neared the smoothie bar, she thought she heard heavy footsteps below but she dared not look down. They kept to the inside, skirting close to the shop entrances and away from the glass barrier that would give away their location. But then, Peggy heard a voice, a voice she recognised. She stopped dead, her shoes squeaking on the polished floor. Her friends kept running, they didn't notice that she'd stopped.

Peggy listened hard, hoping she'd been mistaken, but there it was again, that voice. She crept to the barrier and looked down to find that all the militants had disbanded, leaving two lone figures on the floor below. One was Frank, short and lithe and grizzled. The other made her heart stop. Even without her mutation, how could she forget the formidable shape of Carl Kinnerman? She backed away from the barrier, her breaths coming short and fast.

"There!" Peggy looked around at the shout and saw that her friends had found Jean and Scott. Although the sight of Carl had shaken her, the relief of knowing that her friends were safe gave her strength. Peggy pushed away from the wall and ran to meet her friends. As soon as she was within arm's length of them, she pulled Scott and Jean into a tight hug. They complained initially but Peggy was so pleased to see them, she didn't care.

"What's going on?" Jean asked once Peggy had released them. She and Scott were unaffected by the explosion, although Scott had dropped his smoothie (which he was still complaining about). They wanted to look for their friends but when they saw the soldiers flooding the mall, they decided to hide while they figured out an escape plan. They had no idea what was going on, but when people with guns showed up, they were usually pointed at them. Jubilee quickly explained all that they'd seen, from the gunmen helping evacuate customers, to the man with the walkie-talkie. Peggy waited until she was finished to describe what she'd just seen downstairs.

"When we went to collect Carol, there were people after her. Mutant traffickers." She looked at Kurt and saw him nodding along. "We managed to get away but this man, Carl Kinnerman, he survived and he's after us. He's _here_."

"With a lot of guns." Added Jubilee. It wasn't the most articulate synopsis but it seemed to do the trick. Her friends looked appalled but mostly just frightened. Carl Kinnerman had blown up a mall to, what, get revenge? To try and capture them to sell? Each possibility seemed more terrible than the last.

"Oh, God." Jean breathed, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

"Should we tell the Professor?" Peggy suggested, looking around for a phone they could use. They couldn't possibly fight their way out of this one, the only way they would get out of this alive was to run. She felt an overwhelming need to tell their headmaster, just in case they couldn't escape. Maybe he could even send help. Scott shook his head slightly, chewing his lip as he tried to come up with an escape route.

"I think it'd be better if we just got out of here fast." He decided and Peggy had to agree. They were running out of time. Frank had seen them, it wouldn't be long before his armoured goons were upon them.

"They've blocked off the main entrance and they're guys all over the place. Is there another exit?"

"Yeah, by the Adidas."

"Let's go." Without another word, they took off back across the mall. The Adidas store was on the floor below them, they would have to be careful if they wanted to get out of there unnoticed. The X-Men trusted their training, they had done plenty of simulations just like this. What to do when you are outnumbered. What to do when you're trapped. How to work together to escape. Despite all her training, Peggy was terrified. She never thought anything like this would ever happen to her friends, they were too young, they were in a safe place. She blocked those thoughts from her mind, she needed to focus on the now.

They reached the stairwell and rocketed down it so fast that if she faltered once, she would've tripped and fallen. The X-Men stopped to get their bearings, the mall was enormous and difficult to navigate even though they knew it well. Jubilee pointed the way and they prepared to run again but there was a sudden, furious shout behind them.

"Hey!" They turned and saw a group of fifteen or so gunmen running at them from the opposite end of the mall, all armed to the teeth. They broke into two groups, planning to trap them in a pincer movement. Peggy felt her fear vanish. Suddenly, she felt strong. Perhaps it was simply the adrenaline, or maybe it was the knowledge that she had her friends beside her. Professor Xavier taught them that fighting was always a last resort, one should always try to find another way out first, but this wasn't one of those times. The troops were big, and fast, and probably very skilled with their weapons. But they weren't X-Men.

"Split up!" Scott roared. Without a second's hesitation, their group separated. Jean and Scott ran one way, Jubilee, Kurt and Peggy went the other. They ran to meet their attackers head-on, no longer just a rabble of teenagers.

Jean didn't slow down. While Scott slid to a halt to perfect his aim, she narrowed her eyes at the armed man in front of her and pulled his gun from his hands. He was so shocked that she was able to throw his gun to the side and make him kneel, then fall onto his back. Her nightmares haunted her but Jean was stronger than ever. On her way past the man, she swiftly kicked him in the side of the head, knocking him unconscious.

Meanwhile, Scott raised his glasses just enough to send a beam of red energy shooting towards his attacker. He aimed for the large gun in the woman's hand, melting it with practised precision. The metal grew so hot that the woman had to drop it, cursing under her breath and shaking out her hands. While she was distracted, Scott stepped up and knocked her to the floor, dealing with her in the same way Jean had.

On the other side of the mall, Jubilee threw a cloud of sparks into the face of the nearest attacker so that Kurt could knock him out from behind. Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around her neck and she was yanked off her feet. The man held her tight but Jubilee was able to wriggle an arm free and set off a burst of energy next to his ear. The man yelped and dropped her so that she was able to disarm him and shove him straight through the glass barrier. It shattered and the man fell with a shriek. She straightened out her beloved jacket with an indignant huff before springing across the mall to help Scott with a particularly enormous gunman.

Kurt had just finished with an attacker when he felt a hand on his arm. He jumped and pulled away but saw it was only Peggy. She apologised for scaring him but they didn't really have time to stand around chatting.

"Take this." She shrugged off his jacket and handed it to him, then kicked off her shoes and socks. Peggy gave him a quick smile before she vanished. If he looked carefully, Kurt could just about see her outline as she crept around the broken glass that now scattered the floor but that was only because of his impeccable eyesight and because he was looking for her. No one else would be able to see her coming, which is exactly what Peggy was bargaining on.

Kurt grinned despite himself as he saw her creeping up behind two men heading their way fast. He didn't stick around to watch her fight, he had his own problems to deal with. A man ran at him and Kurt waited until the last second before teleporting away, leaving him lost in a cloud of blue smoke. Kurt reappeared above the man and grabbed him by the shoulders. Before he could even let out a squeak of surprise, Kurt teleported him up to the rafters.

He made sure the man had his balance then left him there, several feet above their heads. Once he was back down on the floor, Kurt spotted one attacker heading straight for Peggy, who was causing a stir with two of his accomplices. He turned sharply, whipping his long tail around the man's neck and pulled him back away from Peggy. Kurt span and slammed the man into the wall hard. He didn't get back up.

Peggy knew she should be taking this seriously but she couldn't help enjoying herself just a little bit. She and her friends were kicking some serious ass. She was still camouflaged, dealing punch after punch to two men at the same time who hadn't the slightest clue what was happening. One swung his fist out randomly and she ducked under it with ease, sweeping her leg around and knocking him to the floor. She jumped back to stay out of his way but accidentally stepped into the path of the other man. He swung his gun out wildly and managed to catch the side of her head. Peggy's teeth clunked and her vision went blurry for a second. She lost concentration and she shimmered into existence again.

She staggered back, her instincts kicking in and getting her out of the way whilst her head sorted itself out. The man swung for her and Peggy tried to duck but she slipped on the polished floor. She tried to catch herself but she lost her balance. Peggy fell, arms windmilling, right through the gap in the glass barrier. She heard herself scream as the patterned marble floor grew closer and closer.

Then suddenly, her whole body jolted so hard that she thought her eyeballs might pop out of her skull. All the air left her lungs and for some reason, her left leg was suddenly screaming in pain. But she wasn't falling anymore. Peggy let out a shriek as she dangled in midair, her breaths coming short and fast as her arms flailed about in panic.

"It's alright, Peggy! I've got you!" That voice, her favourite voice. Peggy twisted around so that she could look up and found Kurt hanging over the ledge, his strong hands gripping what remained of the barrier, his tail wrapped tight around her ankle. Peggy let out a relieved sob when Kurt smiled down at her. He began to swing her back and forth, building up momentum so that he could lift her up onto the ledge. Peggy flung out her hands and grabbed onto the barrier, hauling herself up with a groan.

She sat back on her hands, staring at the gap in the glass whilst she got her breath back. Kurt hefted himself up and over the ledge and immediately flew to her side. He leaned over her, one hand on her shoulder, the other cupping her cheek. "You're safe. You're safe." He kept muttering the words under his breath, she couldn't be sure whether he was talking to her or himself. Peggy's chest rose and fell shakily as she got her breath back, thanking every angel in heaven for Kurt Wagner. He was so close, he felt her breath on his cheeks. Peggy's wide eyes met his and she began to smile.

Before she could thank him properly, they heard Scott yell for them. The soldiers were all done with, they needed to keep moving. Kurt helped Peggy to her feet, making sure she was alright first before she pulled on her shoes and they followed after the others. There were more troops above and below them, they could hear their footsteps echoing throughout the cavernous mall, but they kept running, never once looking back.

"There's the exit!" Jubilee flung out her arm and pointing to a pair of double doors on the same side of the mall as Scott and Jean. They led to a long stairwell that would take them down to the parking lot. Hopefully, they could escape through there. Jean got to the doors first, followed closely by Scott and they disappeared inside. The mall arched so the others were a few steps behind them. Just as Jubilee reached the doors, they opened again, knocking her backwards and onto the floor with a groan. Kurt dived forward to help his friend, pulling her up and away from the doors just as they closed behind Carl Kinnerman.

"Hello, again." He grinned, showing off yellowed teeth. The trio took a couple of steps backwards away from the terrifying man. He wore a stab vest, under which they could see the butts of at least two large guns. Carl stepped out into the light, he was just as huge as they remembered. He chuckled at the horrified expressions on their faces as he twirled a long knife between thick fingers. "You kids have been a real thorn in my side, you know that?" He stopped spinning the knife and pointed it directly at Peggy. "You could've just let me take the girl and none of this would've happened." He swept the knife to point at Kurt. He snarled in response, baring his pointed teeth, but this only seemed to amuse Carl.

"So you could sell her into slavery?" Peggy scoffed. She wanted the knife away from Kurt. Thankfully, her plan worked and Carl's attention returned to her. He raised his eyebrows and slid the knife into his belt.

"You're being a little overdramatic, sweetheart." Carl took another few steps closer. His strides were equal to at least three of theirs, forcing them back away from their only escape route. Kurt heard a loud shout from behind the doors. It was probably Jean and Scott fighting with more soldiers. His every instinct told him to teleport to the stairwell, to try and help them, but Carl took another threatening step closer and his need to protect the people beside him took over. He knew Peggy and Jubilee could look after themselves, but he couldn't just abandon them. "That little girl cost my boss a lot of money and he was not happy when I came back empty handed, not happy at all." Carl went on with his spiel as two soldiers, one of them Frank, began to make their way over to them up the frozen escalator. "Now, you're gonna pay."

Kurt didn't have to hear another word. He stepped forward, ready to place a hand on his friends' shoulders and teleport them away to safety, but as soon as he got close enough, Carl unsheathed his knife again and held it right under his chin. Kurt froze, his breath stopping. He heard Peggy gasp but he couldn't turn his head. "Now, don't be getting any clever ideas about zipping out of here, freak show." Carl pressed the edge of the knife closer to Kurt's neck. He didn't dare move an inch, all Kurt could do was meet Carl's steely gaze. "I had a little chat with an old pal of mine." As he spoke, Carl pulled something from the inside of his vest. It was a circle of hinged metal, like one big handcuff. "He hooked me up with some impressive tech." Carl grinned and Kurt felt his stomach disappear.

He pressed a button on the side of the circle, all the while keeping eye contact with Kurt. Then suddenly, he dropped the knife and flung out his other hand, placing the device around Kurt's neck. It snapped shut with a heavy 'clunk' and began to hum. Kurt cried out and fell to his knees, clutching at the metal collar as a bolt of electricity shuddered through his body. Suddenly he was back in that box at the fight club. He could barely fit inside, there was hardly enough room to breathe. It was chained shut and rammed with an electrical charge, repressing his mutation somehow. Unable to escape, unable to breathe. Kurt pulled at the collar but it zapped his fingers and he cried out. He couldn't teleport. He couldn't move.

"Kurt!" Peggy shrieked. She tried to get to him but Carl stopped her with a wave of the knife that was almost as long as her arm. Jubilee whimpered beside her. Watching Kurt thrash and struggle was heartbreaking. He let out a groan and fell onto his back, still trying with all his might to pull the collar off but to no avail.

"Stryker says 'hi', by the way." Carl grinned down at Kurt, like he was pleased that he'd done him harm. His words meant nothing to Peggy but she felt Jubilee tense. Peggy could feel it, that anger, it was building up inside of her. This man had hunted them, frightened them, and now he was hurting Kurt and enjoying it. She stepped forward, trying her best to ignore Kurt's cries of pain. She was shaking with rage but she kept her voice level as she spoke.

"Move." She ordered. Even Carl seemed surprised by the venom in her tone but he recovered quickly.

"Or what, sweetheart?"

"Or I'll kick your arse again."

"I think I can handle two little girlies." Carl said, then began to chuckle. Peggy raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Jubilee. Was he forgetting who he was speaking to? She saw Kurt writhe out the corner of her eye and steeled her nerves.

"Jubilee?" She asked, not taking her eyes off Carl. Jubilee smirked and wriggled her fingers at her sides.

"Way ahead of you." She summoned her mutation then raised her hands and sent a bombardment of colourful sparks into Carl's face, gritting her teeth as she felt the power surge through her veins. They didn't even wait for him to react. Jubilee grabbed Kurt and pulled him to his feet. He was about twice her size but she somehow managed it, leaning him on her shoulder. Peggy ducked under his other arm and took half of his weight, dragging him away from Carl who was roaring in pain. Jubilee kept firing sparks over her shoulder, aiming for Carl and the two soldiers who rushed to his aid. Carl blinked, trying to regain his sight but the sparks just kept coming. He growled and shoved one of the soldiers in the direction of the teenagers.

"Get after them!" Frank looked decidedly nervous about chasing after three mutants, even if one of them was currently debilitated, but then Carl raised his huge meaty fists and he revaluated who he was more frightened of. Frank took off after the teenagers.

Despite their heavy load, Peggy and Jubilee had a good headstart. They were almost at the other end of the mall when they decided to stop. Peggy helped Jubilee carry their friend into the nearest store, a sweet shop filled to the brim with candy. They placed him down on the floor as gently as they could then Peggy turned to leave. Jubilee didn't have to ask where she was going. She'd seen the fire in her eyes. Carl was an unlucky man.

Jubilee watched her leave then turned back to Kurt. He was still gasping and struggling, his eyes screwed shut. Jubilee looked around them but saw nothing that would help so she decided to just throw caution to the wind. She reached for the collar and wrapped her fingers around the keypad, gritting her teeth when it shocked her. She didn't have time to mess around with four-digit codes but she had something better. Jubilee concentrated hard and focused on the keypad. A burst of sparks erupted from the collar and it fell open with a 'clank'. Kurt's eyes flew wide and he sucked in a breath so deep that his spine arched off the floor. He sat up and ripped the collar off, flinging it to the other side of the store. He pulled his friend into a tight hug, only just repressing a relieved sob.

"Thank you, Jubilee." The pain was excruciating but the dark memories it had awoken were far worse. Jubilee clutched him back just as tightly, drawing in a shuddering breath as she tried to settle her frazzled nerves.

"Think nothing of it, Blue." She whispered back. Kurt pulled away after a second or two and looked around. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he turned back to Jubilee with a concerned frown.

"Where is she?" He asked, his voice rising in panic. Jubilee's smile faltered slightly. She didn't want to tell him, she knew he'd only freak out and the last thing she needed was for Kurt to run straight back into danger.

"She'll be fine, let's go." Kurt sensed the hesitation in her voice but didn't question it. He concentrated on getting his muscles to work properly, he still felt very weak from the collar. Jubilee helped him keep his balance, all the while glancing out of the shop front, wondering where Peggy was. She was sure she wouldn't do anything stupid, but then again, Carl had injured Kurt. Jubilee worried her lip, knowing that Peggy wouldn't be thinking clearly.

She was right, Peggy's mind was a blur of panic and anger. She took out Frank with just a few punches, then threw his gun over the side of the barrier just in case. There was still no sign of Jean or Scott, they probably had their own problems fighting off the army that still remained. As she ran back across the mall, she hoped they were safe. She wondered if Jubilee had managed to free Kurt yet. Peggy looked back over her shoulder to see if she could spot either of them but no, they had yet to emerge from the sweet shop. She turned back to look where she was going and let out a shriek when Carl suddenly appeared as if out of thin air. She skidded to a halt about a meter from him just as he raised his gun.

Peggy dove to the side, barely avoiding a hail of bullets that ricocheted past her with an ear-splitting roar. Peggy pressed herself against the wall as she hurriedly kicked off her shoes. Carl was just lining up the shot again when she vanished. Peggy held her breath and tried to keep as still as possible. She could camouflage but she was not completely invisible. So long as she stood perfectly motionless, Carl should pass without noticing her. He growled, frustrated by her unfair advantage. He dropped the gun and began to walk towards where she had disappeared like an animal stalking its prey.

"C'mon, sweetheart." Peggy kept very still as he came closer and closer. Carl kicked one of her abandoned shoes with the toe of his boot, frowning slightly. "I want you to meet my boss. He's a real nice guy, he'll treat you right." Peggy barely held back a derisive jeer. She didn't know who Carl worked for but she certainly didn't want to find out. The enormous man grew closer and closer and Peggy began to breathe a little harder but then he passed her without a second glance. She refrained from breathing a sigh of relief, she wasn't out of the woods yet. "Don't be afraid. I'll take good care of ya. You and that blue freak." Peggy closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"Ah, fuck." She muttered. Carl flinched at the sound of her voice and she jumped away from the wall, keeping her camouflage just in case. She struck the man hard in the centre of his back, sending him falling forward with a surprised screech. He fell to his knees and the gun slipped from his hands, skittering across the floor. Carl tried to get up but Peggy kicked him in the side of the head and he groaned, falling onto his back with the momentum.

Peggy stood over him and shimmered into existence again. Carl looked quite frightened, she was pleased to note. She dropped down onto his chest, holding his arms down with one hand and her right knee. Carl was a lot bigger and stronger than she was, but he was hurt and Peggy was angry beyond belief. She gripped him by the collar of his shirt and pulled his head up. "His name is Kurt." Taking a deep breath, she released her hold on his arm so that she could slam his head back down against the floor with both hands.

"Peggy!" She looked up to see Kurt and Jubilee jogging towards her. Peggy's heart lifted at the sight of them, especially Kurt, who she was pleased to see had escaped his restraints. She left Carl on the floor, groaning and woozy, on the verge of consciousness. Jubilee raised her hand and sent a surge of energy right into the face of the second soldier who was running up behind Peggy. She didn't look back as the man fell to the floor, Peggy was just so pleased to see her friends. She hugged Jubilee first then Kurt. He wrapped his arms tight around her middle, burying his face in her hair and Peggy felt like she could hardly breathe.

"Are you okay?" She pulled away just enough so that she could look him in the eye. Kurt grinned back at her.

"A little dizzy." He said, but otherwise he was fine. Peggy caught Jubilee watching them with a raised eyebrow and cleared her throat awkwardly before stepping back from Kurt. He seemed disappointed but didn't say anything.

"Let's get out of here." Jubilee decided, and her friends readily agreed. Peggy made to follow them but then she remembered her shoes. She chuckled to herself and went back to gather them up. She found the right shoe with ease but the left evaded her before she remembered that Carl had kicked it somewhere. Peggy found her shoe under a bench and was just reaching down to grab it when she thought she heard something. Instantly, she dropped her shoe and concentrated her mutation. Fully camouflaged, she turned around to see that Carl was sitting up.

Kurt stopped when he realised that Peggy wasn't with them. He looked back and began to panic when he couldn't see her. Jubilee called out to her but there was no reply. They began to walk back the way they came, not bothering to be quiet when there was no one left to hurt them. They were meters away from Carl when they realised that he was awake and groaning in pain. Jubilee gasped as he suddenly pulled his second gun from the inside of his vest and pointed it straight at them.

They hardly had time to react but Jubilee gathered a handful of sparks and sent them in Carl's direction at exactly the same time as the bullet fired. The sparks hit the man straight in the face and he screamed, the gun falling from his grip. She ran towards him and dealt the final blow, knocking him unconscious. Kurt's heart was in his mouth. The bullet, it should've hit him, but he felt nothing. He looked down at himself just to make sure he hadn't missed anything but no, he was unharmed. He looked up again just in time to see the air shimmer in front of him. Slowly, a figure started to appear.

"Peggy?" There she was, standing with her back to him, her arms down at her sides. He took a few steps closer, wondering why she hadn't turned to look at him. He was just a few feet from her when she finally turned around. Peggy gave him a thin smile but he hardly noticed. His eyes were drawn elsewhere.

Strangely, Peggy felt fine. The wind had been knocked out of her and her shoulder hurt a little. All that mattered was that Kurt was safe. He was staring at her, his lips parted in shock. Peggy looked down and saw red beginning to bloom through her white T-Shirt. Her adrenaline-fueled defiance finally gave way to the injury staring her in the face, and suddenly it dawned on her. She'd been shot. "Peggy!" Kurt's cry fell on deaf ears as she dropped to her knees. He ran to her side, clutching her close to his chest.

"That wasn't very clever, was it?" Peggy groaned, trying to smile despite the agony in her shoulder. She whimpered when the pain suddenly sparked and she pressed her free hand over the bullet wound as more and more blood came seeping out. Jubilee yelped when she saw Peggy collapsed on the floor and hurried to her side.

"What do we do?" Kurt asked, his voice tight. He could hardly breathe as panic squeezed his lungs, but luckily Jubilee could always be trusted to keep her head in a situation.

"Take her back to the mansion, we'll meet you there." Peggy needed medical attention fast, she couldn't wait around. Jubilee would collect Jean and Scott and they would drive back to the mansion. Kurt didn't want to leave his friends but then Peggy let out another groan and he saw sense. Jubilee gave him a little nod and he returned it before closing his eyes and focusing on a specific room in the mansion.

When he opened his eyes again, he and Peggy were on the floor of Hank's lab. The room was empty but he knew Hank was never far from his work. "Help me!" Kurt yelled, not wanting to leave Peggy alone. He looked down at the girl in his arms and tried to remember how to breathe. She had her eyes closed but her deep frown and little moans let him know she was still conscious. "It's going to be alright. Ich habe dich, Peggy." He whispered, sweeping a hand over her hair to keep it out of her face. There was a crash as the door opened and Hank came stumbling in from the next room.

"What happened?" He looked around in bewilderment when he couldn't see anyone, but then Hank looked down and saw two students on the floor and a small puddle of blood.

"She's been shot! Help her!" Kurt spluttered, there was no time to explain. Hank immediately rushed to Peggy's side and gave her a quick once over which was difficult to do seeing as Kurt was clutching her so tightly. He didn't need to do much more than glance at the wound in Peggy's shoulder to know she needed help and fast. He asked Kurt to take them to the medical wing and he did so without hesitation.

They carefully laid Peggy down on the closest bed and Hank set about fixing her. Kurt wanted to stay by her side but Hank asked him to step back. He didn't want to get in the way but Kurt's whole body ached to be by her side. Peggy looked so pale and small, shivering as the pain only increased. Hank ran fluid into a vein in her left arm to revive her sinking blood pressure, but it worked too well. Peggy no longer felt on the verge of unconsciousness, but for the first time, she could feel the full extent of the pain.

She cried out and Kurt bit his lip so hard, he drew blood. Hank gathered all the tools he would need and promised both of them that everything was going to be fine. Kurt couldn't help stepping up to the bed. Hank was about to warn him about keeping his distance again when he saw Kurt take Peggy's free hand in his. As he slid his thumb across her skin, Peggy's violent shuddering finally eased. Hank decided to let Kurt stay throughout the procedure, for all their benefits.

Just a few hours later, Peggy was sitting upright on the bed and chatting with Hank as he dressed her wound. Her arm hurt like nobody's business but he promised he'd give her some painkillers as soon as he was finished stitching her back together. Kurt stayed by her side throughout the whole ordeal but went to get some dinner with his friends on Hank's orders. Scott, Jubilee, and Jean arrived back at the mansion not long after them thanks to some very reckless driving that Scott maintained was completely justified. They wanted to come see her as soon as they got back but Hank shooed them away. He was just putting the last stitches in when the clock struck nine.

"The bullet missed everything important." He said to Peggy, who was hardly listening. She knew he was trying to distract her from the pain and that was very sweet of him but all she could think about was her friends. "You're very lucky, another inch and your axillary artery would've looked like-" Peggy raised an eyebrow and Hank reconsidered. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze back to the task at hand. "You'll be fine, but I recommend nothing but bed rest and OJ while you recuperate." Peggy hummed in agreement. That's certainly all she felt like doing right at that moment.

Hank tied off the stitches then sat back to admire his handiwork. He seemed pleased and got up to put away his tools. Peggy twisted her arm around, trying to see what her injury looked like but her muscles smarted and she thought better of it. Hank pulled off his gloves and chucked them into the disposal bin. When he looked up, he just so happened to glance through the window in the door to med bay. Peggy heard him sigh deeply and looked up to see him gesturing at someone through the window. A second later, the doors burst open and her friends surged in, all of them talking a mile a minute about a different topic. Peggy laughed at the sight of them, her mood lifting immediately.

"Well, hello there, lads." She greeted them with a wave of her undamaged arm. Scott's glasses had a crack in the left lens and Jean had a split lip. Beside her, Jubilee's hair was all over the place and Peggy could see a spot or two of her own blood on her shirt. She smiled sadly at them. "You're looking gorgeous as ever."

"You too." Scott shot back. Peggy snorted. She'd stripped down to her tank top and frankly, her shoulder looked gross under the unforgiving fluorescent lights above. Her face was still very pale and drawn and her make-up was all smudged. She looked a sight, they all did. Peggy looked over their shoulders at Kurt, who hung back from the group. He leaned against the doorframe to the hospital wing, his arms crossed over his chest. She tried to meet his gaze but his eyes were trained on the floor. Peggy was put off by his uncharacteristic behaviour but decided to question it later. Instead, she smiled at her friend.

"Jubilee, I think we need to go shopping again soon because my new scrunchies were in my pocket and well..." She reached over to the bedside table and picked up the accessories she'd bought. They were torn and frayed and drenched in her own blood. Jubilee felt a little sick looking at them but she held her nerve.

"You probably won't be able to return them."

"You're probably right." Peggy nodded and plopped them back down on the bedside table. They stayed for a couple more minutes. They didn't ask how she was feeling, sensing that Peggy would rather focus on more positive topics. Instead, they talked about what they had for dinner, Scott almost choking on a meatball and making them all cry with laughter, and their plans for tomorrow. All too soon, Hank gave a pointed cough and tapped his watch. They all deflated somewhat, disappointed that their conversation had to end so soon.

"We've got a briefing with the Professor." Scott told Peggy when she gave him a questioning look. Xavier wanted to know everything about the mall attack and would probably start putting together a plan to disassemble this trafficking organisation, whoever they were. Peggy brightened up and immediately began to get off the bed.

"Oh, okay, I'll just get dressed." But Hank rushed forward and stopped her.

"No, no, you should stay." He said in his best doctor voice. Peggy looked like she wanted to argue but when she shifted on the bed, her arm prickled again and she hissed. Hank gave her a meaningful look and she backed down.

"Don't worry, you won't be missing anything." Jubilee reassured her, though it did little to assuage Peggy's desire to go with them. She wanted to tell her story, to help in any way she could before anyone else got hurt. She couldn't do that from a hospital bed. She also just wanted to get out of the room, Peggy had always hated hospitals and although the medical wing was small and comfortable, it was starting to give her a headache.

Peggy wistfully watched her friends leave. Even Hank was going with them. Before he left, he gave her a glass of water and some painkillers which she begrudgingly thanked him for. Hank merely rolled her eyes at her stroppiness and left the room. Peggy sighed as she reached for the glass on the bedside table. She took a sip of water, closing her eyes as it soothed her burning throat. She looked round when she heard something move and was surprised to see Kurt still standing by the door. She looked him up and down. He seemed unharmed though a little dishevelled, just like the others.

He raised his head and met her gaze. His expression was stony and impassive. When she gave him a little smile, he didn't return it for the first time since they met. Peggy's smile faded and so did her confidence. She had never seen Kurt look so serious before, it was almost scary. He was angry with her, she realised. Angry with her for jumping in front of the bullet. Peggy scoffed and looked away. She shook a couple of the little tablets from the container Hank gave her and popped them into her mouth. As she swallowed them down, Kurt finally spoke.

"We need to talk." Peggy quirked her eyebrows as she swirled the water around in her glass, staring into it emptily.

"We _are_ talking." She said but Kurt was in no mood for games.

"No, Peggy, don't..." His voice rose suddenly and she looked up in surprise. Kurt stopped himself and took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. He wasn't often angry, not like this, but Peggy had put herself in serious danger and he couldn't understand why. Peggy licked her lips and looked down into her glass again, then took another sip. "Why did you do it?" Kurt asked, his voice a lot calmer now. "That's twice. Twice you have put yourself between me and a gun. You could have been killed."

"But I wasn't."

"But you could've been!" His voice rose again and Peggy gripped the glass tightly. Kurt pushed himself away from the doorframe and approached the bed, his tail twitching angrily behind him. He watched as she put her glass back down on the table then slowly slid off the bed. He made a sound like he wanted to stop her but Peggy sent him a sharp look and he shut his mouth.

She went to a mirror on the wall and began to straighten out her appearance. If Hank was right, she would be leaving the med bay soon and she didn't want everyone to see her looking like this. Kurt was quiet as she wiped away the smudges of eyeliner from her face then ran a finger along her lips to clear up her smeared lipstick. As she was undoing her hair from its plait, he plucked up the courage to ask again, "Peggy, why? Why do you do it?" He saw her tense slightly but her movements never ceased.

"Back home, there are a lot of... Troubles." Peggy said quietly, her long fingers getting tangled in her hair as she tried to brush it out. She stared at her reflection for a moment before sighing and starting to put her hair up. "People I grew up with, people I've known all my life are beaten and threatened. My dad's mate was arrested. My friend's brother was killed." She glanced his way and saw that Kurt's angry frown had been replaced by a sorrowful expression she could hardly bear to look at.

She hadn't spoken about what people faced back home to anyone, not even her new friends. Why should she? It still haunted her wherever she went. Peggy stepped away from the mirror, somewhat happy with her appearance, and joined Kurt by the bed. "I couldn't just..." Peggy trailed off, unsure of how to explain herself. Kurt looked at her expectantly and Peggy shook her head before continuing. "You mean so much to me. I don't want to feel what they felt. If you got hurt, it would... The pain would be insufferable."

"Worse than being shot?" Peggy raised her chin, looking him dead in the eye.

"Yes." Kurt felt his chest squeeze but he couldn't let that change things.

"Peggy..." He wanted to tell her that he didn't want her risking her life for his, that she was far too important for that, but he sensed it would not go down well. Peggy took another determined step forward. Now they were so close that he could see each of the freckles on her nose and cheeks.

"I'm never gonna stop." Peggy's voice was soft but her words were firm. "Ever." Kurt could hardly believe it was him she was talking to. What had he done to deserve such stubborn adoration? Peggy reached forward and took the lapels of his jacket between her fingers, straightening it out for him and Kurt leaned forward subconsciously. "You've got a friend for life, alright? I would _never_ hesitate. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

Kurt felt his heart skip. Peggy looked back up at him and heard his breathing hitch. Was he really so surprised? Did he really think that she would ever stand idly by if he was in danger? Peggy let go of his jacket but the distance between them had closed noticeably. Peggy's heart thumped so hard she was sure he could hear it. She opened her mouth then closed it again, suddenly filled with uncertainty. Her lips parted and Kurt swallowed thickly, his gaze trained on her mouth. "Kurt, I-"

The door to the med bay swung open suddenly and they jumped apart. Hank came striding into the room, immediately scolding Peggy for getting out of bed before he'd given her the green light. He asked if she'd taken her painkillers and she nodded, her voice suddenly evading her. Hank checked her vitals and saw that all was well, meanwhile Kurt and Peggy were doing their best to make it look like Hank hadn't interrupted anything important. "What did you and the Professor decide?" Peggy cleared her throat awkwardly when her words came out a little strained.

"We're not gonna solve anything tonight." Hank said with a small smile. He knew Peggy wanted to go get the bad guys but these things took time and careful planning. He checked her stitches one final time and nodded his approval. "Tomorrow we're gonna find out as much as we can about these guys, then we'll put together a team." He smiled at them both. "We'll get them, don't worry."

Kurt helped Peggy into her shoes. Luckily Jubilee had thought to bring them back from the mall, otherwise she'd be wearing thick black boots (her only other shoes) in the middle of June. Hank gave her some more painkillers just in case the soreness got any worse then sent them on their way. The hallways were dark and empty. Peggy wasn't sure of the time but she saw the moon high in the sky as they passed a window. Beside her, Kurt let out a long yawn and she smiled fondly. Of course, he walked with Peggy all the way to her door. He would have teleported them but he was far too tired and anyway, he didn't want to risk hurting her arm. Peggy turned to go inside but she stopped at the last second.

"I'm not sorry, you know." She turned around to look up at Kurt and found him smiling gently back at her.

"I know." She was pleased to see he was back to his usual self. Peggy didn't ever want to see him so angry ever again. He reached out and ghosted a finger over the stitches in her left shoulder. She would probably have a scar there for the rest of her life but she didn't care, so long as Kurt was safe. "Does it hurt?" He asked, keeping his voice low. They were alone but he didn't want to disturb anyone who might be trying to sleep.

"I've had worse." Peggy joked with a slight shrug. The movement made her shoulder sting and she hissed in pain. Kurt watched her wince with a slight chuckle.

"You're ridiculous, nachtigall." Peggy's heart fluttered at the name. She didn't think it would stick the first time she heard it but Kurt was relentless and now she responded to it as if she'd had it her whole life. Kurt studied the stitches in her shoulder again for a moment before he met her gaze. "You know, I would do anything to keep you safe too." His voice had regained some of the severity he showed in the med bay and Peggy's smile diminished, despite her heart doing cartwheels in her chest. "That is why I was angry. Why I still am. Not because you saved me, because you put yourself in danger." Kurt sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face. "You scared me to death, Peggy." She looked down at her shoes.

"That I _am_ sorry for." Peggy would be furious if he put himself in danger for her sake, and she could admit that she had been reckless, maybe even stupid. Kurt saw her looking downtrodden and sighed again. He reached out and gently touched her under her chin, making Peggy look up at him. He smiled to himself and moved his hand up to rest on the side of her face.

"I'm not." Kurt slid his thumb over her cheek, marvelling at how soft it felt and their contrasting skin colours. She was a little surprised that he was being so bold but she wasn't about to complain. "It made me realise what is important." Peggy raised an eyebrow despite herself.

"Oh, yeah?" She took a step closer, their chests almost touching now. Kurt dropped his hand and bent his head, his stomach suddenly in knots. His gaze fell to her lips again and Peggy's heart felt like it was going to implode, it was beating so fast. She raised her chin at the same time as Kurt leaned forward just a little, as if in a trance.

"Yes." He closed his eyes, trying to keep his breathing steady. Peggy smiled up at him, wondering what she'd done to deserve a boy as sweet as Kurt as she stood on her toes, her own eyes sliding shut.

"Oh." Peggy and Kurt both jumped and looked around to find Hank standing at the end of the corridor. He had one hand on the bannister and one foot frozen in mid-air as he stepped off the stairs. It appeared they'd surprised him. Kurt looked between Hank's shocked expression and Peggy, then decided it would be best to take a step backwards, stuffing his hands awkwardly into his pockets as he did so. Hank looked like he wanted to apologise but thought better of it. "You forgot this." He held up the shirt Peggy accidentally left in the medical wing. He finally gathered his wits and quickly met them outside Peggy's door. "I fixed the bullet hole." He added clumsily and Peggy smiled despite her frustration.

"Thank you, Hank." She took the clothes from him then turned back to Kurt. "See you tomorrow, gorgeous." She said, mostly just to make Hank uncomfortable, then she turned on her heel and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. The two boys were left out in the hall, both in quite the state of shock. Hank looked at Kurt with his eyebrows raised but Kurt merely waved him off with an embarrassed smile. He teleported down to the second floor landing and began to make his way to bed. On his way down the hall, he found Scott waiting for him.

"Hey." Kurt returned the little nod, his eyes still trained on the floor.

"Hey." Without a word, Scott joined him and they slowly walked down the corridor. Their rooms were at the very end of the hall. Usually, they were laughing and joking and the walk didn't feel long at all, but tonight was different. A strange mood had fallen over the mansion. Those who knew what had happened were frightened. The students had been told they could live happily at Xavier's school, and they believed it, but some of their own had been attacked somewhere they ought to have been safe. The outside world had never looked more terrifying. Scott wasn't afraid, he was furious, but he kept his cool for Kurt's sake.

"Did you kiss her?" He asked, hoping to cheer him up. To Scott's relief, Kurt began to smile.

"Nein." Scott shook his head, disappointed.

"Shame. It would've been the perfect moment. Like in the movies, you know?"

"I know." There was silence again but it wasn't as tense as before. Kurt no longer stared at the floor. Scott knew he was thinking about Peggy, about what she'd done for him. He had to admit, it was quite the heroic act. But Scott knew that Peggy was neither a hero nor terrifically brave, she just wanted Kurt to be safe. Kurt knew it too. He supposed that was what occupied his mind, keeping him so quiet.

"Did you want to kiss her?" Scott asked as they neared their doors. He was pretty sure he heard Kurt scoff, which was funny because he'd never heard him be the slightest bit derisive before.

"I always want to kiss her." Kurt replied, surprising Scott with his honesty. He thought back to what had just transpired between them. Kurt was absolutely certain he would have kissed Peggy right there and then if it weren't for Hank's interruption. They were so close, he could feel the warmth of her body. The urge to touch her was almost irresistible, so much so that he had to bite back a groan at the thought of her soft skin against his, her waist under his hand, his lips against hers. He shook himself, trying to shake the thought of her from his mind, but it was no use. They reached their respective doors, Kurt on the left side of the hall, Scott on the other. Kurt went to unlock the door when his friend's voice stopped him.

"She jumped in front of a bullet for you, man." Scott said softly, not wanting to disturb anyone who might be trying to sleep. It was late and there were a lot of young kids on their floor. He gave a slight shrug, shaking his head. "If that doesn't scream undying devotion, I don't know what does." Kurt paused in the doorway as if considering his words. Then he unlocked his door and stepped inside.

"Goodnight, Scott."

"Gute Nacht, Kurt."

* * *

1\. Peggy, my darling, are you hurt?

2\. I've got you, Peggy.


	11. Chapter 11

The grand staircase that lay in the entrance to the Xavier mansion was polished and pristine, and though inviting, it was impossible to have even the slightest bit of fun with. It was under the constant surveillance of Ros' all-seeing eye, the head maid. She was probably as old as the mansion itself, with tight curls and a look that could make a drill sergeant weep.

Many students had tried throughout the years but no one had managed to slide along the bannister or slip down the steps on a makeshift snowboard without getting into trouble. But that was the grand staircase. The side stairwells were another story. They corkscrewed through the mansion, skewering every floor so that the main staircase was never too crowded. This was where the students got their kicks.

Hazeem stood at the top of one of these stairwells. He was fourteen and a good student, but like most teenage boys, he felt an unquenchable desire to do dangerous things. His friends all stood at the bottom, staring up at him through gaps in the spiral with wide, excited eyes. If Hazeem made the slide all the way to the bottom, he'd be a hero. If he fell, they had a good story. The boy's gaze followed the sharp twist in the bannister and gulped. One of his friends called up a rallying cry of encouragement which was followed by a rowdy cheer from the rest.

He took a deep breath to settle his churning stomach then placed two hands on the bannister. Hazeem jumped and twisted so that he was sat sideways, one hand firmly planted either side of him. He closed his eyes for a second as he gathered his courage, then with one last cheer from his friends, Hazeem let go of the bannister and shuffled forward.

He began to slide but teetered to the side almost instantly. He would've fallen if it weren't for a tail whipping out and wrapping tightly around his middle. Hazeem gasped and looked round to find Kurt Wagner on the stair beside him. Of course, Hazeem knew the older boy. He fought Apocalypse last year, he was one of the X-Men, a hero. He stared up at Kurt in awe and he smiled back.

"I won't tell if you won't." Kurt said quietly, nodding down to Hazeem's friends on the bottom floor. The boy followed his gesture and realised he was talking about his little fall. So long as he promised to be more careful, he would be allowed to continue his daredevilry. Hazeem grinned and nodded. Kurt made sure the boy was steady before he stepped back and released his hold. Hazeem sped off with a whoop of joy, rocketing down the bannister while his friends roared like a crowd at a football game.

Kurt shook his head fondly as he climbed the rest of the stairs to the top floor landing. He reached Peggy's door and, after making sure no one was watching, he tugged his shirt into place and ran a hand through his hair. Happy with his appearance, Kurt knocked three times and waited, hands folded in front of him. After a few moments with no response, he knocked again a little louder. Kurt hadn't seen her downstairs which could only mean that Peggy was still in her room. He knew she liked to sleep in late but his knock had been loud enough to wake her.

A moment passed and there was still no answer, so Kurt carefully turned the doorknob and found that her door was unlocked. He slowly pushed it open, just in case he surprised her but when he opened the door fully, Peggy was nowhere in sight. Kurt stepped into the room, still feeling a little bewildered, but just as the door closed behind him, he heard the shower running.

He immediately took a step backwards, intending to leave and give Peggy some privacy, but something on her nightstand caught his eye. Kurt began to smile as he crossed the room and slid his photograph off the bedside table. Fortunately, Peggy thought to leave her bag behind before they left for the mall, otherwise she might've lost it and the photograph in all the confusion. Kurt hadn't been so lucky with his gift from Francisco, which he accidentally left behind in the cinema.

Kurt sat down on her unmade bed, studying the picture with a little smile. Peggy said she would keep it on her nightstand but he thought she must be kidding. It warmed his heart to know she cared for it as much as she said she did. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the water shutting off. Kurt carefully placed the picture back down on the nightstand beside a rotund lamp and a handful of hairbands. He looked up when the en suite door opened, his heart stopping when he realised Peggy was done with the shower. She stepped into her room, absentmindedly tucking a corner of her towel under her arm.

"Peggy!" Kurt abruptly stood up and Peggy jumped about a foot in the air.

"Bloody hell!" She shrieked, her hand flying to her mouth. Kurt stumbled away from her, aiming for the door but tripping over a pile of dirty laundry as he went. He kept his gaze very firmly on the floor as he stammered through an apology, all the while blindly trying to get to the door.

"Oh, mein Gott! I did knock but there was no reply! Es tut mir leid. Ich kann nicht- Es tut mir leid, vergib mir." Peggy's hand slipped from her mouth to rest over her heart which was thumping like a piston. Kurt had scared her, that's for sure, but she couldn't help giggling as she watched him trip across her room. She closed her bathroom door and shook her hand at him, trying to get him to calm down.

"Kurt, it's alright. It's not like I'm starkers or anything." He stopped trying to escape then. Kurt finally raised his eyes to look at her and really wished he hadn't. There was Peggy, beautiful and smiling, wrapped only in a towel, her skin damp and her hair a mess. His heart was still racing but for an entirely different reason now. Peggy laughed again, shaking her head at him affectionately as she readjusted her towel.

Then Kurt realised the terrible, embarrassing truth. He'd only experienced the feeling a few times but ever since he met Peggy, it was becoming more and more familiar. His heart was beating unusually fast, his breathing was all over the place and his skin felt hot, not to mention the sudden tightness in his jeans. Kurt swallowed hard and tried not to stare but it was near-on impossible. His gaze travelled from her bright eyes, down the length of her neck to her chest, hidden by the towel apart from a heart-stopping amount of cleavage. He swallowed hard and met her eyes again. Peggy wore a strange smile, almost like a smirk. She knew he was staring and somehow that only made the feeling grow.

"I'll wait outside." Kurt decided quickly, dropping his gaze to the floor again. His face was burning and he knew his cheeks were turning purple. Before he could get too far, Peggy called after him.

"No, it's okay." Although a part of her was very, _very_ aware that she was alone in her room with a boy wearing only a towel, Peggy was determined to have a level head. One of them had to keep their cool and it clearly wasn't going to be Kurt. She held her towel close to her body, making sure it wouldn't slip away, which was really more for Kurt's benefit than her own. Peggy feared he might actually pass out if he saw any more of her. "Did you need something?" She asked with absurd nonchalance as she crossed to her dresser and started pulling out clothes. Kurt tried to avert his gaze out of politeness but it was like trying not to look at an eclipse.

"I want..." He tried to explain why he had dropped by but suddenly he could barely remember his own name. Kurt watched as she pulled something red out her drawer, perhaps a shirt or a dress, then a pair of tights. "I want to..." To his astonishment, Peggy then selected a bra and underwear. She didn't even try to conceal them. He couldn't decide if she just didn't care, or if she was doing it on purpose to tease him. Either that, or she didn't know he was looking. Kurt felt the latter was the most likely and he respectfully turned his face away. The magazines that Scott "accidentally" left in his room were very informative, if only Kurt could remember any of it and string together a coherent thought. "There is a meeting." He said finally, just as Peggy slid her drawer shut again. "The Professor wants to see us all."

"To talk about the attack?" Peggy asked, though she supposed she already knew the answer. Hopefully the Professor had a plan, the thought of Carl going free after what he'd done to her friends made her blood boil. "When?"

"At twelve."

"Und wie spät ist es?" She asked, slipping between German and English with ease and making Kurt smile. He liked it when Peggy spoke his language, it made him feel at home, even more so than he already did with her. Although, it was also very attractive and this could sometimes be problematic, especially if by some stroke of luck Peggy was only wearing a towel. Kurt pressed his lips together in irritation when he felt his face begin to burn again. He checked his watch as an excuse to look away.

"Es ist fünf nach elf." The watch had been a Christmas present from Jubilee. He remembered the nervous look on her face when she passed him the little box, neatly wrapped up with a yellow ribbon. It wasn't the most impressive, it was all Jubilee could afford, but it was the first gift she'd ever given him and to Kurt, it was beautiful. Peggy bundled her clothes together, making sure she had everything she needed, then smiled at Kurt.

"Well, then. I think we have time for breakfast first." It was late in the morning so they wouldn't be serving hot food in the dining hall anymore but there would still be some cereal left over or a couple of pastries if they were lucky. Kurt had already eaten breakfast with Scott and Jean but his stomach grumbled. "I'll just be a tick." Peggy excused herself, gesturing for him to take a seat on her bed whilst he waited. Kurt initially declined but she insisted and he decided it was time to get over his fears. Peggy watched him sit down on the very edge of her bed, his hands clasped in his lap, and shook her head faintly. She left him to it and returned to the bathroom, unintentionally giving Kurt a good look at her bare back as she went. He groaned softly as the door shut behind her and let his head fall into his hands.

"Wieso? Wieso, folterst du mich so?" He grumbled, sending a weary glare heavenwards. It wasn't right to think about Peggy inappropriately, and yet he was constantly thrust into situations (such as this) where the temptation was almost too much to bear. He began to knead his forehead in frustration as the bathroom door reopened and Peggy poked her head out.

"Did you say something?" She asked, just in time to see Kurt drop his hand. He shook his head hurriedly, making his new, short curls bounce. Peggy was so distracted by this, she didn't notice the embarrassed look on Kurt's face.

"Nein, I was just... Singing to myself." He winced. Kurt seldom lied, which he supposed was a good character trait to have, but it also meant he was spectacularly bad at it. Peggy frowned but didn't question him further. She chuckled and slipped back into the bathroom, closing the door again. Kurt waited until he was sure she wouldn't come back out to tap himself on the forehead. "Dummkopf." He muttered, shaking his head, disappointed in himself.

The room was quiet but a plethora of sounds drifted in through the wide window. There were kids playing a game on the lawn below and Kurt could hear two birds sharing a conversation in a nearby tree. An aeroplane soared overhead, rumbling quietly a thousand miles away. Kurt looked back down at his photograph, smiling fondly at the memories it stirred.

He sat back a little further on the bed, getting himself comfortable. As he settled down, he nudged Peggy's pillows, accidentally exposing something that lay beneath them. Curiosity got the better of him and Kurt lifted the corner of the bottom pillow. Another one of Peggy's bras was stuffed there, dark green and lacy. Kurt froze, his eyes growing wide. He knew Peggy was untidy but he hadn't expected to find her laundry in her bed.

"How is everyone?" Kurt jumped and dropped the pillow. He scuttled down the bed, putting as much space between him and her underwear as possible before he realised Peggy was talking to him through the bathroom door. "I didn't get much of a chance to talk to them last night." Peggy was pleased that she'd been able to see her friends, if only for a little while, before they were swept away for a debriefing. She wondered what they'd discussed while she recuperated in the med bay. She hoped they were alright, she couldn't remember any of them being badly hurt.

"Everyone is fine." Kurt's voice was muffled. She would've cracked the door open but she didn't want to risk giving the poor boy a heart attack. "Jubilee wanted to go back to the mall today but we managed to talk her out of it."

"I would've thought it'd be closed."

"That wouldn't stop Jubilee." Peggy laughed as she pulled on the last of her clothes. It was warm outside already but it was going to be a scorcher as soon as the sun hit its peak. She didn't have very many summery clothes, she'd have to go shopping soon. Peggy scoffed out loud to herself when she remembered there was nowhere to go shopping, at least not until they reopened the mall. She fluffed up her hair in the mirror, turning her head left and right to make sure she looked presentable. She hung up her towel on the wall before she forgot, then left the bathroom.

Kurt looked up when she opened the door and his attention was immediately stolen. Peggy wore a short red dress that moved nicely as she walked. Her dark hair was still a little damp but it bounced around her shoulders in loose curls. She looked incredible. Kurt's parted lips twitched into a smile he was too astounded to try and repress. "Wow." He breathed, his wide eyes meeting hers when Peggy began to laugh.

"Cheers." She said brightly, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she smiled. She wasn't sure if she was more flattered or flustered by his monosyllabic praise. Kurt watched Peggy drag her teeth over her lip and wished it was his instead. She moved towards him, making Kurt jump, embarrassed to be caught staring. Peggy reached over to her little radio sitting on the windowsill and switched it on. She shot him another soft smile as she turned and walked to her dresser. The radio fizzled and buzzed as it searched for the right frequency, meanwhile Peggy gathered her make-up and began to get ready.

Kurt sat and watched her with flagrant fascination. The ladies and some of the men in the circus would paint their faces: lipstick and rouge and powder and an all manner of others he couldn't name. They used it to exaggerate their expressions in the low light of the circus tent. Peggy's make-up was far more elegant. Her hand moved slowly and deftly, like she was painting a masterpiece.

Kurt leaned forward to get a better view. She only had a little mirror to work with, which she propped up against her shared TV. He watched as she leaned in close and drew a black line across her eyelid, then another underneath in pencil. She repeated this process on the other eye but tutted when the line wobbled. As she searched for something to dab at it with, the radio adverts finally ceased and a lively tune began to play. Kurt turned his head to look at the little radio, his ears pricking when he realised he knew the song.

"I like this." He murmured, too quiet for Peggy to hear. She made a noise and frowned slightly, asking him to repeat himself whilst she finished off her eyeliner. Kurt looked back just in time to see her drawing a deep red line around her lips. He was momentarily distracted but managed to gather his wits enough to repeat himself. Peggy looked over at the radio, her nose scrunching up as she wracked her brain.

"I don't know it."

"It's called 'Magic Man' by Heart." When Peter found out that he loved music as much as he did, he decided they were kindred spirits and lent Kurt a couple of records and tapes he thought he might like. This was one of them. The rhythm changed and Kurt nodded his head along with the guitar solo.

"You see!" Peggy turned around just enough to grin at him, lipstick in one hand, blotting tissue in the other. "You'd be great in that record shop." She still thought Kurt would be an outstanding addition to Francisco's. He was kind and polite and hardworking, but most of all, he loved music with a passion that she'd never seen before. Kurt's little smile faded and he shrugged his shoulders.

"If it's still there." He said gravely. Peggy felt her stomach churn. Whenever she thought about the attack, it felt like a bad dream. But no, it was all real. They were hunted, almost killed, and a place they thought was safe now looked like a war zone.

Peggy cast her mind back to the moment she fell through the glass barrier. If it weren't for Kurt, the impact might have proved fatal. She barely repressed a shudder. Kurt saved her life. She hadn't even thanked him properly. How could she forget to thank him? She supposed she'd been so caught up in everything, there just hadn't been time. Peggy brushed the dark thoughts from her mind, choosing to focus on the friendly chatter of the radio instead. A jingle played, announcing the name and frequency of the radio station, then a woman began to read the latest news.

 _'Today, President Reagan has arrived in Normandy where he will give a speech celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the D-Day Landings at the site of the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc._ _Much more to come on this in our later report at twelve._ _In other news, we're getting more and more reports about the Galleria Mall attack in Westchester yesterday afternoon. Two people were killed with many more injured.'_

Peggy turned to Kurt to see him staring at the radio, his expression forlorn. The mall was his favourite place in the whole world, hearing it on the news hurt him deeply. Peggy felt her chest squeeze at the mention of the two deaths. In all the confusion, she hadn't seen anyone seriously hurt. Perhaps they were close to the blast? Or maybe Carl and his men had found a couple of other mutants and… Peggy grimaced.

"You don't think Francisco..." She murmured, glancing between Kurt and the radio where the newsreader was still talking. His shop was on the ground floor, not far from the explosion. Francisco was a nice man, Peggy couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt in an attack meant for them. She thought about what he'd said. He had a daughter. Thankfully, Kurt shook his head.

"No, I saw him leave." He said quietly. Peggy closed her eyes as she drew in a relieved breath.

"Thank goodness."

 _'Police are saying the bombs may have been planted by a terror group but urge the public to remain calm. If you were involved in the attack or have any information that may be useful, please do not hesitate to call the following number...'_

Kurt listened to them reading out the telephone number then reached over and turned off the radio. Peggy didn't protest. They both stared at the little device in solemn silence, letting the news sink in. At the eye of the storm, their only thoughts were on getting to safety. Suddenly, it all felt a lot more real.

"I still can't believe it." Kurt said, voicing what they were both thinking. He'd moved from a dark place of grime and despair to America, bright, shining, colourful America, where there was money and food and cars and so much promise. Surely nothing bad could ever happen in a place like this? At least, that's what he'd thought. Peggy hummed her agreement.

"I can't believe I got shot." She added, hoping to lift his mood a little. Kurt didn't seem to find it at all funny. He twisted around on the bed to face her, his brow furrowed.

"Yes, well, we both know my feelings about that." His gaze fell to her shoulder. Kurt could just see the edge of the gauze covering her stitches poking out of her sleeve. His anger flared whenever he thought about it, Peggy jumping in front of a bullet for him. Scott said it was an act of devotion, Kurt thought it meant he wasn't doing his job properly. He should've been more careful. Peggy should never have had to put herself in that situation. It was his fault she got hurt. But Peggy didn't see it that way.

He met her gaze. She knew what he was thinking about. Kurt watched her bite her lip again and found it soothed his bristling anger. He'd do anything to bite her lip like that. Would it make her moan? Would she sigh his name? His mind drifted back to the way she looked in nothing but a towel. Would she have stopped him if he kissed her right then? Or would she melt into his arms, gripping him tight?

Kurt felt a familiar twinge and forced himself to think of something else, lest Peggy see the effect she had on him and they were suddenly stuck in a very awkward situation. His last thought before he changed the subject was that he wished he was braver, maybe then he wouldn't have to daydream. "Are you ready? We should go, we haven't got much time." Kurt asked, getting to his feet. His voice sounded a little tight and he cleared his throat, praying she wouldn't notice how stiffly he moved. Peggy checked her reflection in her little mirror and, happy with what she saw, she nodded.

They left her room a moment later. Kurt offered to teleport them down to the dining hall but Peggy declined. It would be a shame to waste a nice walk. Like Peter, who constantly whizzed about at dizzying speeds, Kurt's mutation had made him somewhat indolent. He could travel anywhere in the blink of an eye, why on earth would he ever walk? But Kurt didn't argue with her. Peggy had taken a bullet for him, he could walk down a few staircases.

They stayed close to each other, practically hip to hip as they strolled down the corridor. Kurt's tail curled behind their feet as they chatted easily, trying to keep their minds away from yesterday. When they arrived in the cafeteria, they found Jubilee waiting for them. Kurt had asked her if she wanted to have a late breakfast with them, seeing as Jubilee liked to sleep in just as much as Peggy. She'd been waiting for over ten minutes but when Jubilee saw how close the two of them were, there was no explanation necessary.

"Hey." Peggy greeted her friend with a soft smile. She wasn't sure how Jubilee was feeling. When she spoke to her yesterday, she seemed bright and bubbly as always but now the adrenaline had worn off, Peggy was very conscious of how shaken she might be. But just as Kurt said, Jubilee was feeling calm and happy, although she felt sick whenever she dared to think about yesterday.

"Hey, you two." Jubilee decided she just didn't have the energy to antagonise them yet, but she did wink at Kurt who rolled his eyes at her implication. They didn't stop to chat, Jubilee simply joined them and they ambled across the cafeteria at their own leisurely pace. They grabbed a tray each, ignoring the bare hot food counter in lieu of the breakfast bar.

"Where are Scott and Jean?" Kurt asked whilst they gathered their food. He ate with them earlier but he hadn't seen either of them since.

"Well, Jean has actually gone jogging." When both her friends grimaced, Jubilee nodded her agreement. "I know right." She pulled a disgusted face and led them over to the little island where the cold food was kept. She raised her eyebrows, indicating that she was about to relay juicy gossip. "And a little birdie told me that Scott is regaling Annie with tales of yesterday."

"I thought it was Nancy he fancied?" Scott was always chattering away about Nancy this and Nancy that. Peggy had yet to meet her but Kurt said she was very nice and extremely pretty, so of course, Scott acted like a complete idiot around the poor girl. The trio stopped and gazed miserably at the breakfast bar.

The trio stopped and gazed miserably at the breakfast bar. Usually, there were all sorts of fruits and pastries, but it was almost lunchtime and the platters had been picked clean. There was still some cereal left over and a few slices of cold toast. Peggy twisted her mouth at the dismal sight but her expression brightened when she managed to excavate two croissants hidden behind the empty fruit bowl.

"He _does_ like Nancy." Jubilee reached across Peggy to snatch up a rogue banana and a cereal bar that had somehow gone unnoticed. "But I think he likes Annie too." Peggy saw Kurt selecting his cereal so she wandered to the end of the breakfast bar to grab him the milk.

"Why can't he just pick one?" Peggy asked when she returned with the jug. Kurt thanked her and she smiled in response. Jubilee dropped her tray into the depository with a careless clatter, she wouldn't be needing it now she only had a few items. When she was sure she had everything, she raised her eyebrows at Peggy meaningfully.

"You're awfully hypocritical. You of all people know how difficult affairs of the heart can be."

"Why're you talking like that?"

"I dunno. I just woke up in one of those moods, you know?" Jubilee shrugged, already peeling her banana. She was suddenly ravenously hungry and couldn't wait to be seated before she tucked into her breakfast. Peggy put away her tray, choosing to carry her breakfast herself instead, and Kurt grabbed a spoon for his cereal. Peggy saw that he'd poured himself a glass of juice and offered to carry it for him but Kurt merely smiled.

He left the breakfast island, starting to follow Jubilee across the cafeteria but before Peggy could comment, he reached out his tail and wrapped it around his glass. Peggy's jaw went slack. She knew Kurt was good with his tail, he'd likened it to having a third arm, but she didn't know he had such control. After all this time, her friends still managed to amaze her. Peggy stared after him until she realised she was being left behind. She hurried after her friends, all the while wondering what else Kurt might be able to do with his tail and blushing like an idiot.

The dining hall was practically empty, it was only them and four kids studying in the corner. Their group had been allowed a day off from classes, to give them some time to recover and because of their meeting with the Professor at midday. They sat down at a table close to the door so that their friends would be able to spot them. When Jubilee saw Kurt's loaded tray, she raised an eyebrow. "Second breakfast." Kurt shrugged as he sat down in the seat across from her. Peggy instantly took the seat beside him without really thinking about it, though Jubilee certainly noticed and had to stop herself rolling her eyes.

"Where do you put it all?" Peggy asked, beginning to laugh as she set about buttering her first croissant. She was pretty pleased with her find, usually the pastries were the first to go at breakfast and she was stuck with cereal. Not that she was complaining, but if she had to pick between a warm croissant and muesli, the choice was clear. Kurt didn't often eat two breakfasts but he felt it was rude not to when his friends were eating. That and he was hungry.

"I am an X-Man, I must stay strong." He sat up and made a show of flexing his arm, making the girl's laugh. It wasn't that Kurt was skinny, he was toned enough to keep Peggy's mind wandering for days, but he was hardly Arnold Schwarzenegger either. He grinned, making his friends laugh always made him happy. Peggy took a huge bite of her croissant and was consequently showered with flakes of pastry but she'd only just woken up and didn't care very much.

"My brother's like that." She said, nodding towards Kurt as she took another bite of her breakfast. "You have to be careful otherwise he'll eat everything in the house. I didn't see any fruit for weeks once, I almost got scurvy."

"I've always found conversations about nautical diseases to be the key ingredient of any brunch." Said Scott, suddenly appearing beside their table. They'd been so caught up in their breakfast, they hadn't seen him approach. Jubilee smiled up at him and patted the seat beside her.

"Good morning, goggles."

"Good morning, treasured friends." Scott replied in the same airy tone. He was used to taunts about his glasses, for the most part, he took it on the chin because he knew it was more of an affectionate nickname. Scott pulled up a chair and settled down with a slight grunt. He was still a little sore from yesterday. Hank gave him the all-clear last night when he debriefed them, but fighting off a hoard of armed gunmen hadn't exactly been a party and now he was covered in cuts and bruises. Jubilee propped her chin up on the heel of her palm and leaned close to Scott.

"How's Annie?" She asked, drawing out the girl's name in a sing-song voice. Despite his visor, they could tell the look Scott shot her was an exasperated one. He reached around Jubilee and grabbed her cereal bar. Before she could protest, he'd already opened it and taken a huge bite.

"She's good. Very good." Scott replied, grinning at his friends across the table and displaying all the granola caught in his teeth. Jubilee snatched her breakfast back then whipped her banana skin round, catching him full in the face. Scott recoiled, letting out a disgusted grunt as he wiped strings of banana from his face and glasses. While he cleaned himself up, Peggy thought it best to change the conversation before they were embroiled in a food fight she was too tired to compete in.

"Are you gonna ask her out?"

"What? No! I like Nancy." Scott protested, flicking the last scraps of banana from his fingertips with a scowl. Despite his protests, Peggy thought she could see his cheeks starting to go a little pink. "Annie's just..."

"Really nice?"

"Super kind?"

"Very pretty?"

"All good arguments." Scott interrupted them before they could say any more. He gave them all a sarcastic smile, thanking them for being so unhelpful. "But no, I'm not- It's not like that." It was only when the words left his mouth that Scott actually thought about it. He did like Annie. She was definitely pretty and they always had fun together. Scott remembered all the times he'd teased Peggy about Kurt over the last few months. She would always say the same thing: 'it's not like that', but he could tell she was just avoiding the question. Now he was telling the same lie. When he told Annie about the attack, she asked a million questions, clearly worried about him and his friends. She cared about him, and Scott supposed he cared about her too. "At least, I don't think so." He murmured, mostly to himself.

"You should probably choose, Scott. It is not fair to the girls." Kurt said as he thoughtfully poked at his cereal. He was about halfway through the bowl but he'd lost his appetite and his muesli had almost reached critical mush level. Scott raised his head, his lip curled.

"Get off your high horse, Kurt." He muttered, though he was only joking. Not everyone was lucky enough to fall for a girl who liked you back. Scott was about to go back to stealing some of Jubilee's breakfast but an idea struck him. "Or rather, your high rope." He added, raising his eyebrows at his friend. Kurt just about held back a groan but he couldn't help rolling his eyes.

"He is making a pun." He told Peggy. He'd seen her confused frown and knew he'd have to explain Scott's jibe. He gave Scott a look. "A bad one."

"Is that what you did in the circus, then?" Peggy asked, finishing off her first croissant. She clapped her hands together to shake off any stray crumbs and Scott tutted when some of it landed near him. Peggy narrowed her eyes and blew on the table, sending the crumbs straight into Scott's lap. Kurt thought it would be best to continue before a fight began.

"I was… I'm not sure how you say... Ein Akrobat?" He fumbled as he tried to remember the English word he was looking for, but his mind had gone blank. Luckily, Peggy was always there to help him.

"Acrobat, that's right." She said with a smile, nodding at him encouragingly. Kurt grinned, pleased that the word was a cognate after all.

"Ja! Und ein Turner, ein Seiltänzer, ein Jongleur…" Kurt remembered his years with the Munich Circus fondly. Even when days were dark, he had a home and people who cared about him. That was until the crooked owner sold him. To him, Kurt was just another expendable mutant. He missed his friends sometimes but tried to honour their memory by enjoying every second of his new life. Kurt wasn't afraid to brag about his skills, he'd been one of the headlining acts after all. People would come from miles around to see him perform, but if he was being completely honest, the only reason he was still talking about it was that he wanted to impress Peggy. Judging by her excited expression, he'd succeeded.

"That's incredible!" She babbled, so excited that she missed the weary look Jubilee and Scott exchanged. Peggy's head was suddenly filled with a million questions but before she could decide where to start, Scott was speaking.

"That _is_ incredible." He mimicked Peggy's eager voice. Jubilee snorted and ducked her head. "Tell me, Kurt, how _do_ you manage to accomplish such impressive feats?" Scott glanced Peggy's way to make sure she knew he was teasing her. She scoffed and looked down at her plate, shaking her head ever so slightly.

"A lot of practice and natural magnificence." Kurt shot back, his mischievous smirk displaying his fangs. "And I am very flexible." Scott mentally punched the air. That was exactly the answer he was looking for. Just as he'd suspected, Peggy's eyes went wide. However, he couldn't have predicted that she would accidentally knock her plate and send it clattering across the table whilst choking on her second croissant. While Peggy coughed and spluttered, her face bright red, Scott grinned impishly.

"Jackpot." He said under his breath, just loud enough for Jubilee to hear him over the sound of Peggy choking and Kurt asking if she was alright. When she caught her breath again, Peggy was still very red but for an entirely different reason. Kurt was sitting right next to her so she tried to push every bawdy thought from her head and change the subject as quickly as possible. She reached across the table and tapped Scott's glasses with her index finger.

"Bet Hank wasn't pleased about these." When Jean and Scott ducked through the door to the emergency stairwell, they did not find the easy escape they were hoping for. They were met with twenty or so troops, some scaling the stairs below them, some dropping down from above. Luckily they managed to escape unharmed, but somewhere in the confusion Scott was struck with the butt of a heavy gun and there was now a tiny but still very obvious crack in his glasses.

"Actually, he hasn't noticed yet." Scott mumbled, his good mood suddenly gone. Hank was very precious about his equipment and if someone was unfortunate enough to break something, they got an hour-long lecture. "I'm trying to find a good time to bring it up."

"You could sell it to him as an upgrade opportunity." Jubilee suggested, then she grinned. "That's what I say whenever I break something in the Danger Room."

"You could ask for huge ones like those glasses Mr. Jefferson wears." Kurt put in his two pennies' worth. He raised his hands in front of his face and touched his fingers and thumbs together to make circles, mocking the enormous glasses of their geography teacher.

"Even I'm not cool enough to pull those off." Peggy finished the last of her breakfast then tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"You? Not cool? Never."

"Tough talk from a girl who listens to ABBA."

"I'll have you know ABBA are still very big in Ireland." They all laughed much to the annoyance of the kids trying to study across the cafeteria. Their good-natured argument went on a little longer until everyone had finished eating. Kurt glanced at the clock above the cafeteria doors and saw that it was almost midday. They would have to start thinking about leaving, their meeting would start soon.

He felt his stomach twist anxiously. He had every faith that the team would be able to track down these mutant traffickers and bring them to justice, but despite all their experience and training, Kurt couldn't help worrying about his friends. He looked around at them all, laughing and joking as if nothing were amiss. But there were bruises along Jubilee's cheekbone, and Scott's knuckles were cracked and raw. Peggy looked as astounding as ever, but he could see her wince as pain bloomed in her shoulder whenever she moved.

Kurt was afraid they wouldn't be so lucky next time. Of course, he always worried before they went on a mission, but this time was different. His sharp eyes caught movement by the dining hall doors and he saw Jean standing there wearing different clothes than earlier after her jog. She gave him a wan smile that he tried to mirror, but Kurt knew she felt just as anxious as he did.

"There's Jean." They all turned to look where Kurt nodded and simultaneously realised how late it was getting. The jovial tone immediately disappeared as they came to realise, as Kurt had, that they were about to come face-to-face with the people that had tried to kill them.

The trio cleaned up after themselves and joined Jean at the door. She greeted them with as much enthusiasm as she could muster but they were all too nervous for their usual high spirits. On their way to the Professor's office, they met Ororo and Peter, who had been called in especially. Hank explained everything over the phone and Peter immediately offered up his services. He was older than his fellow X-Men and despite appearances, he felt quite protective of them. Peggy was pleased to see him. She felt safe with Peter and although she thought him rather ridiculous at first, she trusted him with her life. For once, he wasn't joking about and being a complete nuisance, all he did was greet his friends with a smile and lead the way towards Xavier's study.

When they arrived at the polished mahogany door, it opened before they could knock. The Professor could probably hear their collective anxiety a mile away. Hank stepped aside to let them enter and they marched into the office single file. Peggy had only been into Charles Xavier's office once, when she first arrived at the Institute. She had never been a shy, retiring sort of person but standing there, alone in a new country where she would be attending a school like no other, Peggy was practically quaking in her trainers. One of the administrative staff had shown her to the right room then invited her to sit while she waited for the Professor.

The office was undeniably messy, so much so that it made Peggy feel a little better about her own chaotic room. There were books on every available surface and knee-high stacks of paper on the floor. It smelt old but in a good way, it was comforting. Perhaps it was a little messier but otherwise the only thing that had changed about the room since she last saw it was that Xavier was already there to meet them. He was seated behind his desk, elbows resting on the arms of his chair so that his fingertips pressed together.

"Please take a seat, everyone." Their headmaster greeted them with a small smile. He knew they were all tense, their minds were abuzz with torrent, negative emotions but Xavier wanted his students to know they had nothing to fear. Ororo and Jubilee found seats on the edge of a cabinet and a writing desk, while Peter chose to remain standing by the door, his fingers drumming incessantly against his thigh. Kurt, Scott, and Jean took the three chairs that sat in front of Xavier's desk. The Professor asked them how they were all doing and Peggy was about to join them when Hank addressed her.

"Peggy, how are you feeling?"

"Good, thanks." She absentmindedly tapped her fingertips against her bandaged shoulder. The pain spiked if she moved too suddenly or put her arm under too much strain but apart from that, Peggy felt right as rain. Hank had done a good job. "Who knew you were so handy with a needle and thread, eh?" Hank looked less than pleased.

"You're making fun of me."

"Yes."

"Not only am I your teacher but I also saved your arm."

"Are you going to give me detention?"

"Very possibly."

"So I'll shut up then."

"Good idea." Peggy grinned. Hank rolled his eyes and told her to go sit down.

"Did you find out anything about these people?" Peter asked once Hank joined the Professor on the other side of the desk. Peggy stood behind Kurt's chair. When he realised she was there, he immediately offered his seat but Peggy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him seated. She smiled when she saw his disgruntled expression. Peggy didn't take her hand away from his shoulder.

"We did some research on Carl Kinnerman." Hank said, and they all leaned forward in anticipation. "He was a difficult man to find but we have the advantage." By that, he meant the Professor, who had been searching for Carl ever since his students brought Carol Brown back to his school. They hadn't been able to find much at first, but then they spoke to Moira MacTaggert and she managed to delve undetected into CIA files they weren't able to reach.

Hank placed a small stack of papers down on the desk, the pages filled to the brim with small black type. A photograph of a man was paper clipped at the corner. They instantly recognised the snarling face. "Carl Lionel Kinnerman, born 13th December 1945 in Helena, Montana. No living relatives. Throughout the years he has been a… Very active member of the community."

With every word, Carl Kinnerman gradually became more and more real. It was strange to think of him as a person rather than the Bond villain figure Peggy had in her head. She didn't want to think of him as an ordinary guy, he was supposed to be a cruel and vicious monster. Making him human inspired empathy, and Peggy didn't want to feel for the man who had hurt her friends. Scott flipped through the pages Hank placed on the desk. His brow furrowed with each page.

"Yikes." He muttered, then passed the booklet to Kurt. Peggy peered over his shoulder to read what Hank had gathered on the man. There were lists of all Carl's various accomplishments and photographs of him in action. One that caught Peggy's eyes was of a young Carl amidst a sea of people, all holding banners or picket signs printed with anti-mutant slogans she shuddered to read. The photograph was in black and white but Kinnerman's twisted, manic expression hadn't changed throughout the years.

"Rallies, pressure groups, fundraising, protests. You name it, if it's anti-mutant, he's been a part of it." As the Professor spoke, his thumb circled against the back of his other hand. Was he nervous too? Perhaps just concerned for his students, who he cared for as if they were his own children. "But a couple of years ago, he dropped off the radar."

"That's when he met Stryker." Kurt finished looking through the pamphlet and handed it to Peggy. She barely glanced at it before she passed it on to Ororo.

"Who is Stryker?" Carl had mentioned him at the mall right before he slapped the electric collar around Kurt's neck. Jubilee and Kurt knew the name but Peggy had never heard it before.

"William Stryker is a fanatic with a military history and an unequivocal hatred of mutants, so you can imagine how dangerous he is." The Professor's grave tone spoke volumes, and a quick glance around the room let Peggy know her friends feared this man just as much as they did Carl. "He believes his true calling is to ensure the eradication of all mutants." Peggy felt her stomach twist. Sometimes she forgot just how much people hated them, hated her, just because of the strands in her DNA. She was no different from anyone else, not really, but this man would kill her on sight.

"But he and Carl have developed something new." Hank went on. The pamphlet had travelled around the room and ended back in his hands. He flipped through the information until he arrived on the last page. "We found some worrying reports about a group who call themselves The Purifiers, the people who attacked you at the mall." Hank held up the page for them to see. The word 'confidential' was stamped across it in broad letters but they could just about read the text. "They're a paramilitary terrorist organisation hell-bent on, you guessed it, purification."

"They want to kill us." Scott said in summary. His voice was gruff and low. Peggy knew he was bristling with anger but trying to keep calm. Hank looked like he wanted to agree with him but he also didn't want to worry them all.

"Well, with new government legislation protecting mutant rights, they can't just go around terrorising people anymore, but as always, they've found ways to keep their organisation going in secret. Now they mostly capture mutants and sell them on for profit, sometimes here in the States but mostly overseas."

"That's what Carl said he wanted with Carol." Said Kurt, speaking for the first time since he'd entered the room. He looked up at Peggy for confirmation which he got in the form of a little nod. "He bought Carol from her uncle and intended to sell her on." At the mention of the young girl, Peter's jaw clenched. He cared about Carol, she was close to being his third little sister. He visited her as often as possible, just as he promised he would. She was so sweet and cheerful despite her bad start in life. It was difficult to hear about Carl without getting angry.

"We're gonna stop them, right?" Peter spoke up, his eyes trained on the floor. His arms were crossed tight over his chest and his feet were flat against the floor. Peggy didn't think she'd ever seen him so serious or so still. Hank knew how much he cared for the girl, so when Peter looked up and met his gaze, he gave him a determined nod.

"Yes. Yes, we are." Charles let out a long sigh as he sat back in his chair. He ran a hand over his mouth then rested his chin on curled fingers. He knew his students could handle anything, this mission was no different from the countless others they had completed. Charles' gaze travelled across the young faces in front of him. When they entered his office, they were just frightened teenagers. Now they knew what they were up against, they were X-Men. None of them looked afraid, not anymore.

"Suit up." Xavier said at last. He glanced at the pamphlet in Hank's grip then looked back at his students. "This one could get a little… Violent." They took that as their cue to leave.

Hank led them out of the Professor's office and down the corridor. They all had a considerably bigger spring in their step. If they had any doubt before that Carl, Stryker and their followers could be stopped, it was long gone now. Peggy realised Hank was leading them towards the lock-up, a room next to the aeroplane hangar that housed their armour and all their equipment. She felt a twist of exhilaration despite her nerves. She and her friends were going to bring down a paramilitary organisation and save the lives of hundreds of people. It was hard not to be excited.

Hank typed in a four-digit code beside the lock-up door and it slid open with a hiss. Peggy hadn't been in this room yet. It was small and square but definitely not ordinary. A number of flight suits hung from one wall while on another were row upon row of weapons, though none of them particularly lethal. They captured and detained, never killed. On the other side of the room was a long, black block, similar to the lockers Hank kept in his lab. Each compartment door had the name of a student above it.

The team piled inside and scattered, heading to different corners of the small room. Peter was just a blur as he ran to grab his uniform then left the room to get changed. Peggy looked around whilst everyone else pulled out their armour until she found the locker with her name stencilled on top. The words 'Lyre Lyre' gleamed in the artificial light above, filling her with pride. She reached for the door but jumped when someone suddenly called her name.

"Peggy? What're you doing?" It was Kurt. He already had his clothes draped over one arm as if it were an ordinary suit instead of battle armour. Peggy looked between him and her locker.

"What do you mean?" She wondered if she'd done something wrong but her teammates were opening their lockers and grabbing their suits just as she had intended to do. Kurt's scarlet eyes were wide, it was making her a little nervous.

"You're not coming." He said, shaking his head slightly. Peggy's smile slowly disappeared. Around her, she could tell that the others were listening intently even if they were polite enough not to gawk. Peggy thought maybe Kurt was pulling her leg so she laughed, but his anxious expression never changed. She trailed off when she realised he was being completely serious.

"What? Yes, I am." Now Peggy knew everyone was listening. Beside her, she saw Jubilee raise her eyebrows but she didn't say anything. Kurt looked appalled. He stepped forward, fretfully clutching at his suit.

"But you're hurt!"

"Only a little bit." Peggy shrugged but made sure to only use her right shoulder, accidentally proving him right. She didn't know why he was making such a fuss. Her shoulder hurt but she could still run and fight and protect herself. Peggy knew he was only trying to look out for her but she'd be damned if she had to stay behind whilst her friends ran head-first into danger.

"Hank said you almost lost your arm."

"Yeah, _almost_." Kurt scoffed, looking over his shoulder for some backup but Hank pretended to be very interested in the keypad beside the door. Peggy turned back to her locker and began to gather up her armour. "Kurt, I'm fine. Honestly." She tried to keep her voice quiet and calm. At any other time, she would love that he was trying to protect her but not today. Too many people she loved had been hurt, too much was at stake. Peggy wasn't going to let anything stop her. She thought Kurt had given in but when she looked over her shoulder, he was even closer and his expression was drawn in a frown.

"I don't think it is safe." Peggy slammed her locker door shut and wheeled around, surprising Kurt with her sudden vehemence.

"For crying out loud, you're not my mother!" The tension in the room increased and the others all simultaneously decided they better get out of there sharpish. Kurt and Peggy hardly noticed as their friends grabbed their stuff and hurried out of the room. Peggy had never shouted at Kurt before, she'd never even been the slightest bit cross with him. She regretted yelling but she could feel her anger rising in her chest, feel the heat pushing out her skin that made it impossible to apologise. Kurt gritted his teeth, trying to keep back his own anger. All he wanted was to keep her safe, why did she have to fight him when he was only trying to help?

"I don't want you to get hurt." He said in a low voice that would usually get Peggy's heart racing but she was too upset to be flustered.

"I've already been hurt."

"Exactly!" At that moment, Peter suddenly appeared in the doorway. When his friends hurried into the changing room with wide eyes, he was immediately curious. When he heard that it was because Kurt and Peggy were fighting, he had to see it for himself.

"Is there a problem?" He asked brightly, grinning at the pair of them.

"No!" Kurt and Peggy shouted in unison. Peter's smile only grew.

"Okie dokie." He disappeared from sight and Peggy rolled her eyes. Peter was annoying but he'd managed to disperse the tension in the room, whether that was his intention or not. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to reign in her anger. She didn't like arguing, why couldn't Kurt understand that she had to do this? Peggy drew in a long breath then exhaled deeply, opening her eyes again. She could tell from Kurt's expression that he didn't want to argue either. He wasn't standing in her way, he was just worried about her. Peggy hugged her uniform close to her chest, trying to summon a smile and failing miserably.

"Kurt, it's lovely to know that you care but, and I cannot stress this enough, nothing is going to stop me." She had that look in her eyes again, that dogged, unyielding fire. Kurt loved that look but right now, the stress was making his stomach twist. "Not you, not Hank, not the Professor." Peggy held his gaze, silently asking him to let her do this. Kurt looked torn.

"Peggy..." Finally, he sighed and rubbed a hand down his weary face. He held her gaze for a moment but it felt like hours to Peggy, who was beginning to feel guilty about upsetting him. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She knew that meant he was letting her go, not that he would have been able to stop her anyway.

"Because-" _Because they hurt you. Because they shot at you and put an electric collar around your neck and because they frightened you._ Peggy wanted to rage and burn against the ones who hurt her best friends, the people she loved. She couldn't possibly wait behind when Carl was out there, just waiting for her to punch his lights out. Peggy wanted to tell Kurt all these things but she couldn't find the words.

Peggy sighed and bent down to grab her boots then walked past him to the door. "Forget it." She muttered. "I'm going, that's that." Kurt watched her leave with a heavy heart. He knew there was no stopping her, but that didn't mean he couldn't worry. He would just have to do a better job of protecting her than he did yesterday. He gathered his belongings then followed her towards the changing rooms next door.

When Peggy pushed open the door, she found that her friends were almost finished getting ready. She smiled fondly when she heard the boys in the room next door whooping and cheering like players before a game. Jubilee moved her clothes out of the way to make room for her on the bench. Peggy thanked her and began to get changed, rushing to catch up with her friends.

"Kurt didn't look too happy." Jubilee said as she sat down to pull on her heavy boots. Peggy hummed in agreement. She reached up and tied back her hair so that it wouldn't get in her way while she got changed.

"He hasn't been all that pleased with me lately." Behind her, Ororo frowned curiously.

"Why's that?"

"I keep doing stupid things." Peggy gave a short, scornful laugh as she pulled her dress up over her head. She hissed when her shoulder stung but tried not to draw attention to it, just in case they tried to convince her to stay behind too. Ororo chuckled, snapping the last of her armour in place.

When they were all dressed, they jogged down the hall to the hangar entrance. The boys arrived just a few moments later. They looked a formidable team altogether. Peggy ghosted her fingers over the yellow X on her shoulder. She was proud to stand amongst her closest friends. As she boarded the jet, Peggy couldn't help wondering what her parents would think of her. In her letters, she had told them all about her lessons, her friends, the school, but she thought it best to leave out her extracurricular activities.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she buckled herself into her seat in a dreamlike state and barely even noticed when the jet took off. What happened if she got seriously hurt? Would Xavier have to tell her parents? Would they want her to come home? Peggy couldn't imagine ever leaving this wonderful new world. She looked up at last, her gaze travelling over her teammates as the jet rocketed through the bright blue summer sky. Kurt was sat next to Jean on the opposite side of the plane, a couple of seats down. His head was bowed, his palms pressed together. She watched his lips move but couldn't hear what he was saying over the rumble of the engines.

If she left, she would probably never see him again. That thought scared her more than anything. For his sake, she wouldn't do anything reckless. Kurt opened his eyes at last and caught her gaze. Peggy couldn't look away. He gave her a slow, sweet smile and she knew she was forgiven. Peggy returned it just as the jet began to groan and whistle, a sign that they were slowing down.

"Where are we?" Peter had to yell over the roar of the engines. The plane dipped and Peggy knew they would be landing soon. Her stomach rose like she was on a rollercoaster, she had to grip the sides of the seat to stop herself falling out of it.

"Syracuse, New York." Hank called back. She could only just hear him through her headset. "That's their building there." They all looked around at their pilot to see him pointing down to the city below them. They couldn't see where he was indicating but a few minutes later, the jet landed and they realised Hank had parked right on top of it. Peggy released her hold on her seat, splaying and curling her fingers to relieve the tension in her muscles.

"Are you okay?" She looked around to find Jubilee watching her with clear concern. Peggy realised she must look as nervous as she felt.

"Terrified." She thought about lying but knew it wouldn't make either of them feel any better. Jubilee nodded. As they waited patiently for Hank to give them the all-clear, Peggy turned her head and asked, "Are you?"

"Scared?"

"Yeah."

"I've been on hundreds of missions just like this." Peggy smiled slightly and dropped her gaze to the floor. Her friends were wonderful and so brave, but she was still relatively new to this. Of course they wouldn't be frightened. Peggy felt Jubilee nudge her arm. When she looked up, she was smiling. "Yeah, I'm scared." Jubilee whispered, and Peggy felt instantly better. If her friends could do this, so could she. They looked around when the door to the jet slid open and Hank gave them the signal.

The X-Men filed out of the plane and immediately took cover behind the enormous, tubular exhaust vents that funnelled cold air into the building. Their plan was simple: get inside, find Carl and as many of his cohorts as possible, then detain them and bring them in, the police would do the rest. Scott led the way to the door to the roof. Jean did a quick scan to make sure there was no one on the other side and found that the coast was clear. They hurried inside without a backwards glance.

The floor below them was as empty as the roof. In fact, they didn't see anyone until they were three floors down. Two men stood at the other end of the hall, talking quietly. They had guns but they were pointed down at the floor. Clearly, they weren't expecting visitors. Without a word, Peter slipped on his goggles and zipped down the corridor. The two armed men were standing one second and groaning on the floor the next. Peter grinned and gestured for them to follow him.

As they delved deeper into the heart of the Purifiers' building, the endless, twisting halls grew darker and grimier. It looked like no one had used this building in years, it had clearly been abandoned. The organisation must have leapt at the chance to have a real headquarters, it was a big step up from how they'd started, preaching out of the back of vans and handing out anti-mutant propaganda to anyone who would listen. They met a few more men on the next floor but they were dealt with as expeditiously as the first couple. They travelled deeper and deeper into the building but the only sound was their own ragged breathing.

At last, they arrived at an intersection and Jean came to a sudden stop. She held up her hands, gesturing for them all to halt. She'd caught voices floating through the air. The others kept silent, their eyes wide as they waited for her signal. Jean closed her eyes to help her concentrate and allowed her mutation to latch on to the voices. They drifted through the dark corridors, leading a trail towards a hum of activity. They weren't far now.

"There's a room." Jean told her friends. She could see it forming in her mind's eye. The room was buzzing with life. "It must be their control centre. There are ten bodies and two more on every door. They're all armed." Jean's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Carl, he's there." She opened her eyes again and pointed in the vague direction they ought to be travelling. Scott followed her gesture, chewing his lip as he tried to figure out a plan. So far things had been going eerily well for them but they couldn't be lulled into a false sense of security. These guys didn't fool around, they had to be careful.

"We should split up." He decided at last.

"Is that such a good idea?" Peggy asked uncertainly. She didn't want to second-guess Scott but she also didn't like the idea of them getting separated. When they were cut off from Scott and Jean at the mall, they were much weaker than if they had all been together. The idea of being divided from her friends also made a swell of anxiety rise in her chest.

"There are three doors to the control room. If we can get to two of them, we can trap them." Jean said with a soft smile. She couldn't help overhearing Peggy's worried thoughts and thought it best to assuage her while they still had time. Peggy knew they were right. Although she certainly wasn't completely comfortable with the plan, she nodded her agreement. Scott immediately set about splitting them into two teams. There were seven of them altogether but even in smaller groups, they would be an intimidating adversary for simple goons with guns.

"Okay, Jean, Peter and I will take the left." Scott decided, pointing down one corridor, then the other. "You guys take the right." They exchanged a short goodbye, wishing each other luck but not much else. They would be seeing each other again very soon. Scott, Peter and Jean took off in one direction, while those leftover headed the opposite way.

"He's so bossy." Ororo muttered, rolling her eyes. Peggy thought she must be trying to diffuse the tension. She looked around at her friends and saw matching anxious expressions on their faces but they softened at Ororo's jibe. The four of them began to jog down the corridor, their footsteps barely making a sound thanks to Hank's footwear modifications. Peggy was just beginning to think their task wasn't as daunting as she thought it would be when the inevitable happened.

They heard a furious cry and skidded to a halt. There were at least six people at the end of the corridor, their faces hidden behind balaclavas and masks. They looked like something out of a cheesy action movie but Peggy didn't have time to criticise their dress sense. She immediately camouflaged with the wall behind her, having to remind herself to move slowly and carefully lest they spot her outline. The soldiers ran at them, guns drawn and raised.

Kurt vanished in a flash of smoke and reappeared behind one of the men, grabbing him and swiftly throwing him against the wall to knock him unconscious. Jubilee kindled a ball of colourful sparks in the palm of her hand then lobbed them into the face of the nearest attacker, who screamed and staggered back. Peggy helped pull a man off Kurt then span around to wrench the gun from a woman's hands and kick her in the stomach so that her back hit the wall. Just as she was about to deal the final blow, Peggy heard thunderous footsteps echoing through the dank halls and looked around to find at least ten more guards racing towards them.

Glass shattered behind her and Peggy whipped around to see Ororo raising her arms above her head. The girl's eyes were milky white, her teeth gritted in concentration. She moved her arms about wildly, building up a gust of wind so strong it had blown in the windows. Ororo bellowed and sent the wind crashing down the corridor towards the other attackers, sending them sprawling as they were knocked back by a gale stronger than any hurricane. When she was sure they were all neutralised, Ororo lowered her hands, her eyes turning back to their usual dark brown. Peggy stared at the girl in awe.

"Woah." She'd never seen Ororo use her mutation before. It was just as incredible as her friends described it. Ororo grinned, she always got a kick out her powers and she didn't mind the admiration from the others that came with them either.

"Thank you." She said brightly, a stark contrast to how fearsome she looked just a moment ago. Jubilee grunted as she flattened the last man. Looking around the corridor, they realised they were alone again. Just as Peggy was about to suggest they keep moving, Ororo's eyes flew wide. "Look out!" Immediately Peggy camouflaged, her instincts kicking in at the first hint of danger. She turned on the spot and found that the woman she'd been fighting was on her feet again.

Peggy dashed forward to knock her down but she was so startled, she forgot her training. The woman spotted her outline flitting against the wall and blindly grabbed for her. By some stroke of bad luck, she managed to wrench Peggy's arm back, splitting her stitches and tearing her flesh. Peggy shrieked, suddenly overwhelmed with pain as she tried to wriggle free.

"Peggy!" She heard Kurt cry out but she couldn't see him. Peggy managed to elbow the woman in the gut and pull away just enough to punch her nose then sweep her legs out from underneath her. Only when she was sure the woman wouldn't get up again did Peggy allow herself to stagger back. Her arm screamed in pain, clouding her mind and making her vision blur. She wobbled on uncertain legs as she clutched at her arm. When Peggy sank down to the floor, Kurt was by her side in an instant. His hands hovered over her body as if he wanted to help but didn't want to do her more injury. Peggy saw the horrified look on his face and immediately tried to get a grip on her pain.

"I'm fine!" Her head was spinning, she could barely think straight, but she couldn't let it beat her. She was not leaving. Peggy tried to get to her feet despite Kurt's protestations but the movement made her arm twinge and she whimpered. She took her hand away from her shoulder and saw that there was a dark bloom of blood seeping through her uniform. Kurt felt like all the breath had left his lungs.

"Peggy-" He tried to speak but she wasn't having any of it. Peggy groaned as more pain swarmed in her shoulder but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to fight through it. She tried to get to her feet again but Kurt immediately moved to stop her.

"I'm fine, Kurt!" Peggy tried to push him away but she moved too sharply and the bullet wound stretched. Peggy gasped, the pain leaving her breathless. She stopped trying to get up, instead she wrapped her hand around her shoulder, trying to put some pressure on her gushing wound. Kurt looked up at Ororo and Jubilee who were both watching on nervously. He knew what he had to do but Peggy wasn't going to like it. He pulled out his communicator, a small walkie-talkie-like device that connected them all to the jet. Kurt jammed his thumb down on a button on the side and waited for it to stop crackling before he spoke.

"Hank?" The device fizzled for a moment before he got a reply.

"Copy." Kurt glanced at Peggy. She was watching him closely with a resigned expression. She knew what he was going to do. Peggy opened her mouth to speak but her words were replaced by a long groan as more pain flooded her body. Kurt sighed before he pressed the button on his communicator again.

"Peggy is hurt. I'm taking her back to the mansion." Peggy shook her head, silently begging him not to do this.

"Is she okay?" Kurt held her gaze then let his eyes drop to her shoulder. The dark cloud in her uniform was growing bigger and bigger. He couldn't let her go on like this, no matter how much she wanted to.

"She'll be fine but she can't stay here." Hank agreed to his plan and Kurt slipped his communicator back into his pocket. He looked up at his two other teammates who were still watching on, waiting for him to make a decision. "Will you two be okay?" Jubilee and Storm exchanged a smirk.

"I think we can handle ourselves." Jubilee said. Between them, they had enough power to take on a small army. Kurt knew they would be fine without him. He nodded and looked back down at Peggy. She shook her head desperately, her eyes wide and beginning to shine with tears. Kurt reached out to her, his large hand wrapping around her waist.

"No, please!" Peggy whimpered. "Kurt, don't you d-" **BAMF**.

* * *

1\. I'm sorry. I can't- I'm sorry, forgive me.

2\. And what time is it?

3\. It's five past eleven.

4\. Why? Why must you torture me like this?

5\. Yeah! And a gymnast, a dancer, a juggler...


	12. Chapter 12

At first, all Peggy knew was an overwhelming queasiness. Then the world snapped from dark to light, like a bulb popping in reverse. She hissed and shut her eyes tight, her pain momentarily forgotten. She could hear Kurt speaking but she was so focused on not throwing up that all she caught was a slur of vowels. Peggy felt the hand on her waist leave and find a new perch on her shoulder.

When she finally opened her eyes, Kurt's face was very close to hers. He asked if she was alright, teleporting often made people feel sick. Peggy's arm spasmed before she could reply. She groaned and clamped her hand down on her shoulder, trying to stem the bleeding and relieve some of the pain. It barely helped but it was something. Kurt chewed his lip as he watched Peggy swear and whimper. He wanted to help but he didn't know how. Looking around, he saw that he'd only made things harder for himself. He'd been aiming for the medical wing but in all the confusion, he'd accidentally brought them to the common room.

Peggy grunted again and Kurt realised they were still on the floor. He jumped to his feet then hooked his hands under her arms. Peggy protested at first, claiming she could get up on her own but the second she put weight on her arm, the pain tore at her muscles and she almost passed out right there. Peggy clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her own scream, her eyes squeezing shut as she tried to push through the pain. She didn't see how Kurt's expression steeled. He wrapped his arms around her and carefully pulled Peggy to her feet, winding his tail around her waist to keep her steady. He apologised in advance then teleported them to the medical wing.

The room was empty. Just their luck. Hank was still out in the field and wouldn't be back for hours. There was the school nurse, Betty, but she had probably gone home for the day. Peggy stumbled but kept her balance thanks to Kurt's tail, which he kept wrapped around her middle until he was certain she could stand by herself. Kurt took a step back, his bright eyes zigzagging over her, keeping alert just in case she fell again. Though her head was still swimming, Peggy's anger worked to stave off the pain.

As soon as he let her go, she marched over to the nearest cabinet and began to root through it, searching for bandages. She slammed the door shut when she couldn't find anything useful and moved onto the next cupboard, only using her right hand while the other hung limply by her side. Kurt watched her grumble and slam cupboard doors, her actions growing sharper as her frustration grew.

"Peggy." He tried calling to her but his voice was soft and she couldn't hear him over the din she was making. She found the box she was looking for but it was too heavy to lift with just one hand. Peggy swore under her breath then reached out both arms to grab the box from the top shelf. It was heavier than she expected and the strain it put on her shoulder made her gasp. "Peggy!" Kurt tried to stop her but he was too late. She dropped the box and it fell onto the counter, exploding like a firework and sending bandages and plasters sailing across the room.

"Damn it!" Peggy slammed the cupboard door so hard that it bounced open again. She gritted her teeth to stop a frustrated scream. Kurt watched her run a hand over her tired face then bend down to start picking up all the bandages. He sighed and walked to her side.

"Peggy." When she ignored him, Kurt stooped down and put his hand over hers. "Peggy. Peggy, it's alright." Finally, she stopped. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity, and released it again before she opened her eyes. His hand tightened over hers, bringing her back down to earth. Kurt's scarlet eyes flicked over her face, his eyebrows drawn together in concern. Then he squeezed her hand. "It's alright."

Peggy could feel her anger starting to fade. She gazed back at him, wondering how he managed to slow her heart rate with only a few words. She was still furious at herself. She should've been more careful. She should be out fighting, not stuck in the med bay again. Kurt squeezed her hand again, which helped a little. He guided her to her feet, leaving the box and its contents scattered across the floor. Peggy leaned back against the counter, closing her eyes for a moment while she got her head straight.

The adrenaline was long gone and she was still badly bleeding. Even when she pressed a hand over her wound, the blood seeped out from between her closed fingers. Peggy hissed between her teeth and pressed down harder, trying to stem the flow. Kurt stayed close by her side, making sure she wouldn't fall again but being careful not to corner her. "You know," He said, breaking the deafening silence of the medical wing. "You don't have to be strong all the time. You don't have to constantly fight, it's okay to just let things happen." The second Peggy looked around, Kurt knew she was going to argue with him.

"But-"

"Peggy, you were shot!" Kurt insisted. That seemed to do it. Peggy's frown disappeared and she looked down at her feet. Her shoulders finally relaxed, she was too exhausted to fight. Kurt wasn't angry, he just couldn't stand the thought of Peggy doing herself any more harm, especially for his sake. He moved to stand in front of her, barely a handsbreadth away. "Please, you must take care of yourself." His voice was low but hadn't lost its urgency. "You cannot keep going like this. You cannot keep putting yourself in danger." Peggy finally looked up and he saw that her face was pale. They needed to get a move on. Kurt was about to excuse himself but her next words surprised him. Peggy reached out with her good hand and ever so slightly brushed her fingers against his chest.

"But they hurt you." She murmured. Kurt felt warm all over but her touch made him shiver, much to his own embarrassment. Suddenly everything made sense. He remembered their argument from just a few hours ago. 'Why do you have to be so stubborn?' He asked. Peggy hadn't answer, not properly. Now he knew. Peggy wanted to protect her friends. When they got hurt, she thought it meant that she was letting them down. Carl put a collar around his neck and Peggy wanted to see him pay for it. That was why she was so determined to fight, not because she was vicious or angry, but because she wanted to make sure Carl wouldn't hurt him ever again. Kurt wondered how he could ever have doubted that Peggy truly cared for him, but this was the last time he would let her put herself in danger for his sake.

"You've already saved me enough times." Kurt said, smiling softly. Peggy wanted to smile back but her shoulder stung and she bit back a gasp. Kurt saw her wince and reached for her shoulder. Peggy instinctively moved away but he was firm. "Please, for once, let somebody help you." Kurt saw something change in her face, a flicker in her eyes that meant he'd hit home. Peggy never allowed anyone to worry about her. Kurt was going to change that today. "Let me help you." He whispered, his eyes darting between her wound and, against his better judgement, her lips. Peggy felt her whole body slump, as if all the tension had suddenly left her. She licked her lips as more pain sank its claws into her, only just holding back a whimper.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, bowing her head. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to apologise but Kurt seemed to understand what she meant. He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, ghosting his fingertips across her cheek as he pulled away, making her shiver.

"I will be back in just a tick." He said, a phrase he'd borrowed from her. Peggy smiled weakly and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving her alone and frightened in the stark white halls of the med bay. Peggy looked around for anything she recognised, perhaps a needle and thread or some wadding for the bleeding. She gathered what she could, all the while wondering what Kurt planned to do. He'd certainly never mentioned anything about having any medical training.

Before she could start to get too nervous, Kurt reappeared in front of her. The loud **BAMF** that accompanied him made her jump and Peggy accidentally banged her bad arm against the counter. She swore loudly while Kurt apologised a thousand times. Peggy would've found it funny if she weren't in so much pain. Kurt held out something, gesturing for her to take it. "Here." He said quietly. Peggy saw it was a shirt and jogging bottoms, neither of which belonged to her. At this rate, she was going to end up with half of Kurt's wardrobe by the end of the year.

"Thanks." Peggy gingerly took the clothes from him, only realising then that she was still in her armour. They both stood in silence for a moment, Peggy waiting for Kurt to turn around and Kurt blithely unaware of the awkwardness that had fallen upon them. Finally, she cleared her throat and Kurt realised he ought to give her some privacy. He apologised meekly, his face suddenly blushing a deep shade of purple.

Peggy waited until he had turned his back to slip out of her suit. It hurt her arm like crazy but she was far too embarrassed to ask for help. She stepped out of the armour, suddenly acutely aware that she was standing not two feet away from Kurt in only her underwear. Sure, she'd started the day with him in a towel but this felt different somehow. Kurt could hear material rustling and swallowed hard, straining to keep his eyes from wandering. "Okay, you can turn around now." Peggy said, tugging the ends of her hair out from the collar of the shirt.

Kurt turned around and immediately began to smile. He didn't think there would ever come a time when seeing Peggy in his clothes didn't make his heart thud. Even in a tank top that was far too big for her and trousers that were so long, she had to roll them up twice at the cuff, she looked awesome. When he saw the spots of blood seeping into his shirt, his face fell. Peggy was still badly bleeding and from the way she gritted her teeth, the pain was excruciating, no matter how much of a brave face she put on.

Peggy immediately began to apologise, assuming he was upset that she'd ruined his shirt. She offered to buy him another one but Kurt barely heard her. He took her by her good arm and carefully but quickly guided her over to the nearest bed. Peggy watched him hurry around the room, searching for everything that he would need to fix her up. Kurt didn't know where anything was but it didn't take long to find a needle, thread for stitching, and something to help with the pain. He kept mumbling under his breath, sometimes in English but mostly German. Peggy barely caught any of it but when he came back to her, she saw that his hands were shaking. His head was bowed as he lined up everything he'd collected in a neat row.

Peggy bent her head, trying to meet his eyes. "Hey?" She gently curled her fingers under Kurt's chin and he finally looked up. She smiled as she brushed her thumb over his chin, following the patterns in his skin. "It's okay, Kurt. I'm alright." She tried to sound reassuring. She didn't want her surgeon to be nervous, especially when he was about to stick a needle in her arm. Kurt held her gaze then nodded slightly, his courage bolstered. Peggy drew back her hand. He missed her touch instantly but he had a job to do. Peggy watched carefully as Kurt dropped the needle and tweezers he'd found into a little pot of disinfectant. Then he dabbed a wad of cotton into the liquid and held it up to her skin, not touching her just yet. "Do you know what you're doing?" Peggy asked quietly. Kurt's pointed teeth poked out as he grinned up at her.

"Don't you trust me, meine nachtigall?" He seemed a lot more confident than she felt. Peggy felt her skin heat up at the nickname but she was quickly assuaged when Kurt brought the cotton closer to her wound. The flow of blood had thankfully slowed but it still hurt and she was reluctant to let him touch her.

"I do." Peggy nodded quickly. It was only fair. He had trusted her to bandage him up after their first run-in with Carl, now he was returning the favour. Kurt was pleased to have her consent. He didn't want to hurt her just as much as Peggy didn't want to be hurt and he was very nervous. He pressed the soaked cotton to her wound and almost dropped it when Peggy hissed suddenly. She gripped the thin material of the hospital bed, her eyes squeezing shut.

Kurt opened his mouth to apologise but Peggy urged him to keep going. He finished cleaning the wound in no time, all the while very conscious that every minute spent at the mansion was a minute spent away from his team in Syracuse. Kurt didn't want to leave Peggy but his friends needed him. He disposed of the bloodied cotton then hooked the needle out of the little dish. He threaded it with some difficulty, his hands weren't exactly built for dexterity, but with a little help from Peggy, he was ready to start. "How're your sewing skills?" She asked, eyeing the needle warily.

"Beyond compare." When she laughed, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from Kurt's shoulders. "I used to fix my own costumes in the circus." Peggy raised her eyebrows as she got herself comfy on the bed. It had hurt like hell when Hank sewed her up and he had basic medical training and, more importantly, ten fingers. She tensed the muscles in her arm, preparing for the pain.

"Let's hope you're as good at sewing as you are the trapeze." Peggy muttered, though she was only joking. He seemed to appreciate her little jibe but his smile disappeared when he began to concentrate. She hardly noticed when the needle first pierced her skin, the immediate edge of the wound had grown numb, but the second stitch had her face scrunching up. Kurt wished he could stop but her injury would be ten times worse without stitches.

"I'm sorry, liebling." He murmured, making Peggy chuckle despite the pain.

"Don't worry about it, handsome." She opened one eye and sent him a lopsided smile. Kurt had to look away, pressing his lips together to hide his delighted smile. No one had ever called him that before. Peggy opened both eyes and watched him splutter and stumble. Kurt looked back at the task at hand, just trying to remember how to breathe properly.

"You're distracting me." Peggy watched him bite his lip, whether it was because he was embarrassed or because he was concentrating, she didn't know, but for a moment, her pain was forgotten. Peggy looked away as Kurt went back to complete the third stitch. She'd never been particularly squeamish but this had her toes curling.

"I am very distracting." Peggy reasoned, mostly just to divert her own attention away from the pain. She didn't expect Kurt to scoff and shake his head.

"Oh, I know." He laughed softly and glanced up to see Peggy smiling back at him. He couldn't count how many times he'd been in the middle of a test and his mind had drifted to what Peggy might be up to at that moment, or how often he'd stopped dead in the middle of a training session because she was stretching close by. By far the most embarrassing was the time Peggy took off her jumper and accidentally pulled up the front of her shirt and he walked smack into a wall. Kurt still hadn't lived that one down.

They were close enough for him to notice how the makeup around her eyes had run, little black smudges that made her look even more exhausted than she felt. Her bright red lipstick was still intact though. He liked the colour on her. Kurt jumped when he realised he was staring and immediately looked back at her shoulder. Peggy barely held back a smirk. After a few minutes, Kurt sat back to admire his handiwork. "There." He seemed pleased so Peggy risked a glance down at her shoulder.

The stitches were surprisingly symmetrical. Her bloody wound was no more, instead there was a simple line of dashes about as long as her index finger. Peggy knew they would leave a permanent scar but it was comforting to know it would look fairly neat. Kurt waited for her approval before he wrapped her shoulder up with a bandage he'd found on the counter. When he was finished, he went to wash his hands in the sink. Peggy found it quite amusing to see him doing such a mundane task whilst wearing his X-Men armour. All of a sudden, she was reminded of her friends.

They'd only been gone for twenty minutes or so but that was twenty minutes in an abandoned building with an anti-mutant terrorist organisation. Peggy's smile faded. She didn't want to leave them, she wanted to help. Kurt was right, she couldn't fight in every battle, especially not now she was hurt. Still, the pull towards her friends was hard to ignore. When Kurt came back to the bed, Peggy knew he was preparing to leave. He asked how she was feeling as he checked his armour, his attention divided between her and his duty. Peggy chewed her lip, beginning to feel anxious all over again.

"I don't want to leave you." She admitted. Kurt must have sensed her change in mood because he stopped fiddling with his suit and gave her a winsome smile.

"I don't want to leave _you_." He replied, making Peggy's chest flutter despite her worry. He sighed when her expression didn't change and took her hand in his. His large fingers dwarfed hers but Peggy was by no means dainty. He'd never really looked before but when he swept his thumb over the back of her hand, he saw that her skin was speckled with tiny scars. Some he knew were from training and fighting, but Kurt suspected the others were from her rough and tumble childhood.

Peggy saw him smile to himself but didn't get the chance to ask why. Kurt met her gaze again and squeezed her hand. "Rest. Concentrate on getting better. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He gave her a cheeky grin but it did little to hide how serious he was and how nervous he felt about leaving her alone. Peggy rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed with him but she couldn't keep it up for long.

"Fine." She agreed, more for his sake than her own. "Just don't do anything stupid, alright? Because I'll find out and you'll be sorry." To Peggy's disappointment, her voice cracked. It was only a small falter but of course, Kurt noticed. His smile faded just a little but he tried to cover it up by rolling his eyes back at her.

"I don't doubt that." He muttered, then chuckled when Peggy lightly hit his shoulder. She smiled, already feeling better. Kurt could look after himself but she was still apprehensive about leaving him. Peggy always felt safer by his side. Little did she know the feeling was mutual.

There was a pause wherein all they did was look at each other. It was time for Kurt to go but he was reluctant to leave and Peggy wasn't too happy about it either. His sharp eyes caught her picking at the edge of the thin mattress. He wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how. He was only just managing to resist the urge to rest his hands on her knees, perhaps even run them up her thighs. Kurt met her gaze again, hoping to push those thoughts out of his head, and Peggy cleared her throat to break the silence that had fallen between them.

"Bring me back a souvenir." She said, forcing a smile. Kurt raised his eyebrows and began to laugh, the tight anxiety in his chest already starting to grow slack.

"From the bad guy's hideout?" He laughed again and Peggy's smile felt a little more real. "Am I not gift enough?" Peggy scoffed and looked away, using the borrowed time to sort out her pink cheeks. When she looked back again, Kurt was gazing at her warmly. His face was so soft and expressive, she could hardly believe it was all for her. His smile diminished and Peggy thought he might say something more but if that was his intention, he quickly changed his mind.

To her disappointment, Kurt took a few steps back. Only then did Peggy realise how close they had been. She felt colder somehow. Kurt's warmth had always been fascinating, always drawing her in. He checked his uniform one last time then took another step back just to be safe. Peggy watched from the hospital bed as he raised one hand and gave her an adorable little wave. "I'll see you soon." Kurt spoke with such gravity that he made it sound like a promise. Peggy saw his expression change and knew he was about to teleport.

"Kurt, wait!" She heard herself say. He paused, she'd caught him just in time. Peggy slipped off the bed, being careful not to put too much weight on her arm. Kurt opened his mouth to ask what she was doing but couldn't find the words. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt an overwhelming flood of emotion. All Peggy knew was that she didn't want Kurt to leave but if he had to go, she wanted him to go with something from her.

Peggy held her breath to help collect her thoughts then reached up both hands and placed them on either side of Kurt's face. Hardly believing her own bravery, she gently pulled his head forward so that she could press a soft, sweet kiss to his forehead. Peggy thought she heard him gasp gently but that could've been her own ego. Kurt slowly straightened up, his scarlet eyes wide. Peggy saw that his jaw had gone slack and only just stopped herself from kissing him properly.

Instead, she slid her hands down to his shoulders and squeezed them comfortingly. "Be safe." She whispered. It was an order, not a request. Kurt could barely remember his own name, let alone his English, so he nodded instead. Peggy looked at him a little longer, relishing in the feeling of being so close to him, then she squeezed his shoulders again and stepped back out of the way. Kurt's heart was all over the place but he knew he had to keep a level head. He breathed in deeply, concentrating on his power. Before he let himself disappear, Kurt grinned at Peggy one last time.

"Auf wiedersehen." He said and Peggy chuckled.

"See you later, gorgeous." Kurt barely had time to blush before he pictured the office building in Syracuse and vanished.

He arrived back in the corridor he had vacated not twenty minutes ago and immediately began to run in the direction his teammates were heading before they were interrupted. He turned one left then another, following his instincts. He didn't see anyone for a while then suddenly, he heard a shout to the right. Kurt hurried towards the sound, keeping his footsteps light. He stopped when he heard another cry, much closer now. They were just around the corner. Kurt poked his head around a turn in the corridor and saw Jubilee and Ororo in the midst of a fight.

They were surrounded by four enormous guards but the girls didn't seem afraid. In fact, Ororo was smiling. She excelled in hand-to-hand combat and although she'd never said anything, they all knew Mystique was very proud. Kurt watched as Jubilee elbowed the last guard hard in the groin then Ororo sent him soaring through the air and out of sight. Kurt heard a crash that made him wince, then a definitive thud. He rounded the corner, pleased to see his friends again, but Jubilee immediately raised her hands. He yelped and ducked back.

"It's me! It's me!" Kurt squeaked, not wanting to find out what it felt like to be at the business end of one of Jubilee's powerful fireworks. She lowered her hands, her defensive stance relaxing.

"You took your time!" Ororo's voice was severe but she was pleased to see him. They were both unharmed and drawing steadily nearer to the room Jean was telepathically guiding them towards. Only when she'd finished explaining their current circumstances did Jubilee stop to squint up at Kurt.

"What are you smiling about?" They were making good time and holding their own well, but she didn't think there was anything about their situation that was worth smiling about. Kurt tried to straighten out his expression but it was like trying to flatten wrapping paper. Peggy kissed him- _kissed him_ \- and it was all he could do to stop himself punching the air. But he didn't plan on telling his friends about it so Kurt tried to put the feeling of Peggy's hands and lips to the back of his mind and focus on the task at hand.

They hurried around the corner, leaving a trail of unconscious guards in their wake. They were only young but they had been trained well and Carl Kinnerman's actions made them ferocious. They were furious and unstoppable. Jubilee led her friends around one last bend then suddenly stopped outside of a metal door. It looked just the same as the others, its only discernible difference was a rough drawing scratched into the metal. The symbol was crudely drawn but still recognisable, a letter 'M' being flattened by a fist. The first time Jubilee saw the symbol in the information docket Hank put together, she thought it looked rather silly. Now, it made her stomach drop. Pushing her fears aside, she closed her eyes and concentrated hard, reaching out to Jean.

 _"We found it."_

 _"Glad you could make it."_

 _"There was a problem. Peggy's hurt."_

 _"Is she okay?"_

 _"Kurt took her home. What's the plan?"_

 _"Follow our lead."_

Jubilee wrinkled her nose. She thought the situation was far too perilous for Jean to be so vague. Beside her, Ororo was impatient to know what their plan was.

"What did she say?" Jubilee twisted her mouth in confusion then repeated Jean's words verbatim. She was glad when her teammates looked just as uncertain as she felt. "Well, what does that mean?" Ororo looked round at Kurt to see if he had any idea but he shook his head quickly. They were so on edge that they all jumped at a sudden loud bang behind the door. They heard a shout, a cry of pain, then more crashing.

"I think that's our cue." Jubilee shoved open the heavy metal door and led them inside. They were all considerably underwhelmed when they saw their enemy's so-called Operations Room. They'd expected a huge room full of computers, flashing lights, maybe even a large map scattered with strategically placed pins. What the X-Men found was a converted conference room, long and thin, with a couple of tables and a dozen or so chairs, most of which had been overturned. The windows had been boarded up, casting a gloomy shadow over the entire room, and there were maps and schematics coating the tables, but these were the only hints that this was an evil villain's lair.

At first, Jubilee, Ororo, and Kurt couldn't find their teammates. Kurt turned his head this way and that. It was hard to see through the thick darkness but his eyesight was far superior to that of his teammates. Not that they let it hinder them apparently. He finally spotted the rest of his team across the room. The first crash they had heard was Jean throwing two men across the room, the following clatters were Peter and Scott trapping and pinning Carl's enormous, hulking form against the wall. They hurried over to help, hearts thumping with nervous excitement.

Carl snarled and tried to pull away from his captors but Peter was, of course, faster. In the blink of an eye, the huge man was on his knees, his arms twisted behind his back. Jubilee approached him, malice curling her lip. This man had threatened her, destroyed her mall, hurt her friends, but the Professor had taught them well. Violence was a last resort. Anyway, Jubilee didn't want to stoop to Carl's level. They had to be better than him, so she didn't strike him like she was aching to do. Instead, she peeled the military-like cap off his head and spun it around on her finger.

"Hey, Carl." She said, grinning down at him triumphantly. He growled like a caged animal. He was an enormous man, far stronger than Peter and Scott, but when he tried to get to his feet, they managed to keep him down.

"I don't think so." Scott put his foot behind Carl's knee and forced him back into a kneeling position. "You're coming with us." Kurt kept back his elated grin, it didn't feel appropriate just yet. There would be time for celebration later. Peggy would be so pleased, he couldn't wait to tell her the good news. There wasn't much stopping him from teleporting back to the mansion right that second. Then suddenly, he saw Jean tense. Her head turned sharply towards the door, her eyes fixed on something they couldn't see.

"There are more coming." Although they were still too far away to hear, Jean's mutation had alerted her to the small army of armed guards heading their way fast. They must have learned that their command centre, in all its glory, had been breached, their leader captured. There were so many of them, she could hardly keep track. The X-Men exchanged glances, silently trying to decide what to do. Stay and fight? Or get out while they could? Finally, Ororo spoke up.

"We have what we came for." She looked down at Carl. Ororo was a very sweet girl with a great sense of humour and a gorgeous smile, but she also had the sternest look Kurt had ever seen. She stared down at the man who hurt them and if Kurt didn't know him better, he would've said he saw Carl shrink back a little.

A loud crash made them all spin around. Jean cursed under her breath when a sudden swarm of anti-mutant soldiers burst into the room. The X-Men immediately ran forward to meet their enemy. Though they fought valiantly, one guard managed to slip through the net. Ororo dove into his path, trying to keep him away from her teammates and their prisoner. She raised her hands but he blocked her attack with ease and before Ororo could move out the way, he punched her hard in the jaw. She staggered back, clutching her face whilst summoning a ball of startling lightning in her other hand. The soldier punched her again in the stomach and she doubled over.

The man jumped for Scott and Peter, who had to let go of Carl to defend themselves. Peter managed to get behind their attacker and send him sprawling to the floor, then Scott finished him off. Panting hard, he looked around and saw Carl wriggling out from behind them, skirting around the room to the door whilst his followers were gradually beaten to the ground. Scott would've chased him but another soldier ran at him and he was knocked to the ground. Peter looked over at the door just as Carl disappeared from sight.

"Kurt, Jubilee, go after him!" The pair looked around at the sound of their names. Their eyes met across the room. Jubilee nodded once then elbowed her attacker square in the nose and began to weave her way across the room. Kurt followed her example, getting rid of his own assailant then hurrying after her.

They ran at full pelt, round one corner then the next, but they couldn't find Carl. Jubilee was altogether very upset with how quickly things had gone south but mostly just annoyed at Carl for being a lot faster than he looked. Kurt strained to hear any sign of life apart from his own heavy breathing. Finally an advantage of Carl's great size. Kurt could hear his thunderous footsteps close by. He immediately took off after him, Jubilee close behind.

They felt like they were running in circles but the frequent glimpses of Carl's feet as he disappeared around corner after corner kept them going. They were almost upon him, until suddenly they weren't. They'd reached a dead end. Carl was nowhere to be seen.

Kurt almost ran straight into the wall, only just catching himself in time. Jubilee wasn't so lucky. She collided with Kurt, tripping them both up. He apologised quickly while Jubilee got her breath back but she was more concerned with their disappearing mark. She span around in a circle, knowing they must have missed something. Her eyes widened when she spotted a door in the opposite wall.

"There!" They didn't have time to feel embarrassed as they pushed through the heavy door. It opened up onto a metal stairwell, a fire exit that ran from the very top of the building to the bottom, opening up onto every floor. Kurt almost lost hope then. From these stairs, Carl could get anywhere in the building. They'd probably never find him. But then he heard Carl's heavy footsteps echoing down and remembered the promise he made Peggy. He couldn't let her down.

Jubilee led the way, hurrying up the stairs with impressive speed. Kurt would've offered to teleport them but they didn't want to miss Carl and anyway, he needed to conserve his energy. They passed the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth floors, growing more and more tired but never losing speed. Jubilee stopped quickly to duck her head over the bannister and look upwards, just in time to see Carl's huge meaty hand flash over the side before he climbed up to the next level. "Where's he going?" She wondered breathlessly, shooting Kurt a confused look over her shoulder. Kurt wished he knew. Carl looked like he wasn't going to stop but where was he headed? Did he even have a plan? Or was he just running in a blind panic?

They got their answer quickly. They rounded the last set of stairs and found they were back where they started. Kurt and Jubilee exchanged a glance before she carefully pushed open the door that led out onto the barren roof. It was still light outside. It felt like they'd been inside the building for days but Kurt knew it had only really been an hour or so.

Jubilee slowly stepped out onto the roof, casting her eyes around for any sign of danger. Carl was nowhere to be seen. She didn't make a sound as she stepped further away from the door, Kurt not far behind. The jet was still parked just a few meters away but they couldn't see Hank behind the wheel. Jubilee bit her lip. She was about to suggest they split up but a sharp cry made her spin around.

Carl had one huge hand wrapped tight around Kurt's neck. He scrabbled uselessly at his fingers, even his claws did little to hurt the gigantic man. Kurt had to teleport away from him, landing beside Jubilee. He wheezed and coughed, holding his neck as he fought to get his breath back.

"You stupid, worthless creatures! You've ruined everything!" Carl took two enormous strides closer. Jubilee stepped in front of Kurt, immediately protecting her friend from harm. Carl was twice her size but she wasn't afraid. She raised her hands and fired two balls of energy at him, making Carl squeal and stagger back. He waved his arms about like a madman as he tried to brush the sparks away.

"Carl, just give up. There's nowhere else to run." Jubilee stated in as calm and level a voice as she could muster. She was out of breath but full of adrenaline and it seemed to help.

Kurt quickly recovered from the unexpected attack. He bared his teeth and lunged forward, disappearing and reappearing again above Carl. He gripped his shoulders and tried to teleport him into the jet, but Carl swung his arms up and managed to dislodge him. They reappeared just outside of the jet. Kurt landed hard on the concrete. Carl was clearly disorientated but he didn't let that stop him. He growled and tried to kick Kurt but he scrambled backwards just in time.

"My whole life has been dedicated to the purification of the human race." Carl continued his spiel, marching towards the X-Men with frightening speed. "You are monsters! Nothing but a freak of nature, a biological accident!" Kurt hurried to Jubilee's side, trying to ignore Carl and prepare to fight. Jubilee raised her hands again, her face screwed up in concentration. "You all should be-" _CRACK_.

Carl's tirade ceased. He froze, his eyes glazing over. Then suddenly, he teetered forward like a felled tree. He fell flat on his face in a manner that was almost cartoonish, revealing their saviour.

"Hank?" Their teacher looked very annoyed. In his hands, he held a long tube of piping that he'd dug out of one of the many piles of scrap metal that crowded the roof. Kurt and Jubilee stared at him in disbelief. Hank dropped the piping and dusted off his hands, looking down at the unconscious megalomaniac at their feet.

"That guy just wouldn't shut up, huh?" He said, then grinned at his students.

* * *

"Peggy, hey!" Peggy stopped when she heard someone shout her name. She looked around confused. Apart from her little group of friends, she didn't know anyone at Xavier's school all that well. She had names for the faces in her classes and most were good acquaintances, but the only people she expected to call out to her across the cafeteria were in another city.

Peggy frowned when she couldn't see anyone she recognised, but then, from a table across the room, she saw someone waving. Someone green. Peggy smiled and wound her way around the students and chairs and spills until finally, she reached a table by the wall of the cafeteria. Annie beamed up at her, as friendly as ever. "Hi!"

"Hi, Annie." Peggy was a little nervous. She didn't really know Annie and she'd never been alone with her before. Well, they weren't technically alone. There was a girl sitting across from her. She gave Peggy a polite smile but didn't say anything due to her mouthful of food. Peggy didn't think she'd seen her before. "How're you doing?" Peggy asked, shifting her dinner tray around in her hands.

"Pretty good." Annie shrugged then frowned curiously. "I thought you were on a mission. Scott said you were going after that lunatic from the mall."

"We were. Are." Peggy pretended that she'd come to terms with it for Kurt's sake, but she was still annoyed at herself for getting hurt. "I wasn't being careful. Kurt brought me back." She gestured vaguely to her shoulder. The girls both seemed to notice the gauze wrapped neatly around her upper arm for the first time. Annie pulled a face. Not one of disgust, Peggy was relieved to note, but one of sympathy.

"That sucks." She said, smiling apologetically up at her. Peggy hummed her agreement, unsure of what else to add. She opened her mouth to excuse herself but Annie spoke again before she had the chance. "Do you wanna sit with us?" Peggy blinked at her, stunned. She barely knew the girl, she certainly hadn't expected an invitation to join her and her friend.

"Yeah! Yeah, thank you." Peggy said, trying not to sound too overenthusiastic. She sat down at the table beside Annie, who immediately introduced the girl across from them.

"This is Nancy." Ah, the famous Nancy D'Ambrosio. Scott's future wife in the flesh, at last. Peggy was beginning to think he'd made her up. She was certainly as beautiful as he described, perhaps even more so. Dark skin, bright brown eyes, and a perfect smile that made a dimple appear in her right cheek. Peggy only hoped she was as kind as Annie, she'd heard many a horror story about Scott's track record with girls. Nancy finished chewing her food before she grinned at her and gave a little wave.

"Hi, great to meet ya." She said, eagerly stabbing at her dinner.

"You too." Peggy was suddenly reminded of her own food and began to tuck in. She was famished, she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Kurt would be distraught if he knew but she'd skipped lunch in lieu of a well-earned nap.

"This is Peggy Murphy." Annie finished introducing them. To Peggy's surprise, Nancy's face lit up with recognition. She raised her fork and used it to point at her.

"Kurt's girlfriend!" She said, clearly pleased with herself for remembering. Peggy almost choked on her broccoli.

"No, no, he's just- We're just friends." Just her luck, the one thing one of the coolest girls in school knew about her was that she fancied Kurt. Annie seemed to find the exchange amusing but quickly changed the subject when she saw the painfully embarrassed look on Peggy's face.

"So tell us about the mission." She sent Nancy a meaningful look for good measure, just in case she had any ideas about chasing the topic. Nancy quirked her lips in response. Not a promise but she'd back off. For now.

"Have you heard from the others yet?" She asked instead, rather than the hundred questions she had about Kurt. They were good friends, they were paired together in Spanish and he always made her laugh. Nancy had heard so much about Peggy from him, he clearly adored her. Looking at the red hue to Peggy's complexion, she knew the feeling was mutual.

"No, not yet." Peggy looked down at her plate whilst her blush died down. "They haven't been gone all that long but I can't help worrying."

"They're the X-Men. They're practically indestructible." Nancy reasoned with an airy wave of her fork. She was trying to sound reassuring, but Peggy knew first-hand that it wasn't the truth. They'd all been hurt in one way or another. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't ease the anxious tension in her chest.

"I could never do it." Annie said, chewing thoughtfully on her chicken. "I'm a lover, not a fighter." Peggy smiled at that. Although she felt sick with worry, these girls were doing a good job of helping her relax. Nancy smirked, twirling a curl of hair around her finger.

"I could do it." Annie snorted.

"Only because you have a thing for Ororo." Peggy looked up from her dinner, wondering if she'd perhaps misheard. Across from her, Nancy's eyes were wide.

"Annie." She hissed, glancing nervously between them. Peggy realised she'd misinterpreted her shock and quickly tried to rectify the mistake.

"Oh, no, I don't..." Nancy watched her carefully, wondering what she was going to say next. Peggy didn't care about who liked who, she was just surprised. "I was just thinking of all those broken-hearted boys." She smirked across at Nancy, making her laugh. She daintily shrugged her shoulders, tucking her curly hair behind one ear.

"Well, I like boys too." She said, smiling down at her plate. Peggy felt Annie nudge her side and saw she was grinning at her wickedly.

"Like Peter Maximoff." Peggy turned to Nancy, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"What?" She scoffed. "He's got that dorky/cute vibe going. I'm into that." Now _that_ was surprising. Peter was arrogant and smarmy, not to mention about ten years their older. Still, Peggy supposed he was cute in a way, not that she'd ever let him hear her admit it.

"I can put in a good word for you, if you like?" She offered, only half joking. Nancy thanked her but politely declined.

"Don't worry, I have it all under control." She took a sip of her drink and winked at Peggy over the rim of her glass.

"Nancy's mutation is that she can get boys to do whatever she wants." Annie laughed, shaking her head slightly. Again, Nancy shrugged.

"It's a blessing and a curse."

"What's yours?" Scott talked about both Annie and Nancy extensively. It had got to a point where if either of the girls were mentioned in conversation, they would all groan and complain and then change the subject. Sometimes Scott did it deliberately, just to annoy them. Peggy knew that Nancy liked to paint and Annie was captain of the football team, but he'd somehow neglected to mention their mutations amongst his ramblings.

Annie raised the hand that wasn't holding her fork and splayed her fingers. Peggy watched with no small amount of fascination as her hand began to tremble. She curled her long fingers inward and suddenly, the room began to dim. The change was small, Peggy only noticed because she was looking for it, but the lights above their heads flickered and darkened as Annie rolled and flattened her fingers. A couple of kids looked up but most were too interested in their dinner to care.

"Light manipulation." Annie said, her dark eyes flicking between each of the individual lights above them. She had to be careful. If she lost focus, she might burst the bulbs and then she'd be in all sorts of trouble. Annie slowed her movements and the room brightened again. "That's what Hank calls it, anyway." Peggy frowned. She was sure she'd heard something different.

"I thought you had some sort of nature power." She wasn't proud of it, but after she saw Annie and Kurt together, she'd asked around. Scott was clearly biased, so she didn't trust his short biography. Peggy just wanted to make sure she was a nice girl so that if Kurt really was madly in love with her, she wouldn't feel too broken-hearted. She wasn't able to uncover much that Scott hadn't already told her, but she remembered one boy in her English class telling her she had power over the plants and trees that surrounded them.

"There's a sophomore girl who has that." Nancy said through a mouthful of food, making Peggy chuckle. She could see why Scott liked this girl. Maybe she'd make more of an effort to get to know them both in the future.

"Because of the skin, right?" Annie said, gesturing vaguely towards her verdant complexion. Peggy rushed to explain that she'd heard it from someone else, not wanting to sound rude, but Annie seemed unbothered. "I get it from my dad, he's even greener." Was she insinuating something? Peggy couldn't be sure. Either way, her thoughts inevitably drifted to Kurt. Would his children inherit his colouring like Annie had inherited her father's? She supposed her own pale skin would probably water down the genetics, which was a shame because she loved the way Kurt loo- Wait. Whoever said anything about her and Kurt having kids? Where had that come from?

"What about you?" Peggy turned her attention to Nancy, tactfully changing the subject. She was just glad Jean wasn't around. Her voice was strained with embarrassment but she soldiered on. "Unless the boy manipulation thing was true?"

"In a perfect world, maybe." Nancy laughed, tossing her hair for added effect. "I'm a healer. They like having me around the med wing." She gestured to Peggy's arm then wriggled her fingers. "I could fix your shoulder, if you want?" Peggy was surprised, both by her offer and by the prospect of getting her troublesome wound fixed. Hank had warned it might take weeks, even months to heal properly and after that, she wouldn't be able to use her arm without it hurting for a long while yet.

"Really?" Nancy nodded eagerly, glad to help whenever she could. She didn't want to be a part of the X-Men team, like Annie she wasn't much of a fighter, but Nancy wanted to help people and unlike so many others, she was lucky enough to have the power to do it.

"I can't fix fatal wounds or anything too gruesome, not yet anyways. But this shouldn't be hard." She explained as she got up from her seat, abandoning her dinner in the meantime. Nancy and Annie swapped seats. Peggy was a little nervous, she'd never seen Nancy's powers in action, but she remembered what she'd said about often working in the med wing. They wouldn't ask for her help if she wasn't good.

Peggy carefully peeled the bandages away to reveal Kurt's surprisingly neat stitches. Nancy took a deep breath then placed her hand on her shoulder. Peggy flinched and hissed but she didn't let go. At first, she felt nothing. Nancy's touch was delicate, but soon her arm began to tingle then burn and her grip tightened. Nancy closed her eyes to help her concentrate, feeling the familiar heat beneath the palm of her hand as Peggy's tissues stitched themselves back together.

When she pulled back her hand, she tugged on the thread just in time so that it wouldn't be sealed beneath Peggy's skin. Nancy breathed a slight sigh and closed her eyes again for a moment. Her powers always left her feeling dizzy but it was worth it. Peggy traced her fingertips across her shoulder. There was no gash, no stitches, no scar. It was as if she'd never been shot. Nancy watched as she inspected her arm. She smiled at her dumbfounded expression "Better?" Peggy looked up and grinned back at her.

"Thank you." Nancy shrugged, just happy to help.

"That was cool." The three girls looked around at the new voice. They were surprised to find Peter Maximoff standing beside their table. He looked between Peggy's healed shoulder and Nancy, who suddenly sat up a bit straighter and tried her best to sneakily check her reflection in her knife.

"Peter?" Peggy felt the knots in her stomach loosen just a little when she saw he was unarmed.

"Hey, Murph." Peter reached across the table and ruffled her hair, much to her chagrin.

"Are you all back?" Peggy asked as she tried to flatten her hair again. Peter saw her glance over his shoulder just in case her friends were behind him but he was alone.

"Not yet." He dragged a hand over his tired face, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger. He was battered and bruised from the mission but happy it was all over. "Kurt asked me to come check on you." As soon as they handcuffed Carl and loaded him onto the jet, Kurt asked him to rush back to the mansion to make sure Peggy was alright. Peter protested at first, he just wanted to go home and relax, but Kurt looked so desperate he couldn't say no. "He was very worried." Peggy smiled at that. Across from her, Annie wriggled her eyebrows and she went from pink to red.

"I'm fine." Peggy pressed her lips together to hold back a smile. She glanced down and was surprised to see that Peter held a small, bedraggled looking flower in his gloved hand. Her gaze swapped between him and the flower a few times before she raised an eyebrow. "Dare I ask..?" Peter suddenly seemed to remember that he was carrying it and handed the flower over with uncharacteristic care.

"From Kurt." He placed it in her open hand. The flower was tiny, barely the length of her finger, and dark purple in colour. It was the sort of flower you see growing out of cracks in the concrete. Kurt must have found it on the roof in Syracuse. It had lost a couple of its petals and the stem was wrinkled- which she assumed was a result of Peter's fantastic speed- but it was still beautiful and, more importantly, from Kurt.

Peter watched her smile down at the tiny, bedraggled flower and rolled his eyes. "Oh, brother." He heaved a sigh and flopped down into the chair beside Annie, immediately tucking into the food Nancy had left. Peggy finally tore her gaze away from Kurt's gift and gave Peter a dark look.

"We're just mates." She protested for what felt like the millionth time. She slipped the flower into her pocket where it would be safe. Hearing her words, Peter made a disgusted sound and wrinkled his nose.

"Peggy, I'm eating here." He grumbled, gesturing to his stolen dinner. Peggy's eyes widened. She looked between her new friends, who also looked a little shocked.

"No, not like that!" She felt her face flush again and cursed herself for forgetting. Peggy tried to keep any slang to a minimum. It always led to misunderstandings, the majority of which were highly embarrassing. Peter scoffed and dragged Nancy's plate closer so it was easier to eat. Nancy didn't mind, she was finished anyway.

"C'mon, you've wanted to jump the poor guy ever since you met him." Peggy winced slightly, very aware that he was showing her up in front of her new friends.

"Stop, Peter. Please."

"And I know for a fact that Kurt's been a walking, talking puddle of sexual frustration for at least a month now."

"Oh, my God."

"C'mon, don't be embarrassed!" Peter chuckled and reached over the table to nudge her shoulder. Peggy tutted and batted his hand away. "Just put us all out of our misery and kiss the guy." Peggy hated to admit it but Peter had a point. Maybe she should just... Go for it. She knew Kurt liked her, what did she have to lose? All that was stopping them from being together was their own fear. Peggy bit her lip, half annoyed at Peter for being right and half pleased that she had finally made up her mind.

"How'd it go?" She asked, hoping to change the subject and avoid further embarrassment.

"The mission?" Peter chewed his food, swallowed loudly, then grinned at her. "Carl's being delivered as we speak."

"And everyone's..?"

"Everyone's safe."

* * *

The jet rumbled and shook but somehow, Scott had managed to drift off to sleep. His head leaned back, causing his mouth to fall open, his glasses at a worryingly crooked angle. Kurt watched him from across the aisle, shaking his head fondly. He nudged Jean's arm to get her attention and pointed to Scott. She grinned and whispered to Ororo beside her, who also began to laugh.

They were all giddy with joy. Their plan had been pulled off with uncharacteristic success and they had a terrorist under lock and key. Carl was still unconscious, slouched at the far end of the jet. It had been a hell of a job getting him onto the plane and into a seat, let alone trying to wrap the safety harness around his enormous frame.

Hank's voice buzzed through the tannoy, they would be back at the mansion in around twenty minutes. Jean gave a contented sigh and leaned back in her seat. She closed her eyes for a moment, just listening to her friends laugh and chatter. Their thoughts swam around the jet, she could pick apart their voices with ease.

It was funny how quickly their minds turned back to their normal lives once a mission was over. Ororo was thinking about some homework that was due tomorrow, while Jubilee was mostly concerned with what was for dinner. Kurt, of course, was thinking about Peggy. He was worried about her but was reassured by the knowledge that he would see her again very soon.

But there was another voice, a cloud of thoughts she didn't recognise. They were fractured, fuzzy even, as if someone were half-asleep. Or waking up. Jean realised what was happening too late. She turned in time to see Carl raise his huge fists and tear at the harness that held him down. He was on his feet before anyone could even react.

Carl stumbled as the jet tipped, sending him careering towards the other end of the plane. Jubilee came to her senses first. She ripped off her own harness and jumped up, but to their horror, Carl grabbed the still sleeping Scott, wrenching him to his feet by his collar. Carl threw his bound hands over his head, pulling the metal tight against Scott's neck.

"Carl, stop!" Jubilee cried, hands raised. She couldn't risk using her mutation in case she hurt Scott but the threat was still clear. Carl pulled the handcuffs tighter against Scott's throat.

"Land the plane!" He roared as his prisoner pawed uselessly at the metal bar held to his neck. By now, they were all out of their seats. Hank could see everything but couldn't risk a sudden landing for fear of hurting his students. Jubilee and Kurt were the closest but they were both out of their uniforms. Kurt eyed the hidden compartment that held their armour. Carl was stood right in front of it, there was no way they could get to their gear.

"Carl, think this through." Jubilee tried to keep her voice calm and level. "You're going to jail for a long time but if you hurt him, it'll be longer." She should've known by now that Carl Kinnerman could not be reasoned with.

"I said, land the jet!" He pulled back his hands until Scott could hardly wheeze out a breath. Nobody moved. Around them, the jet continued to roar but the X-Men were silent. They would not be threatened. Carl's wild eyes moved over each and every one of them, his yellowed teeth bared like an animal. "Fine, I'll do it myself!" He stepped backwards, pulling Scott with him. He jammed his elbow against the wall, hitting a small red button. To their horror, the ramp began to whine, opening like a gaping mouth in the side of the jet.

Clouds whizzed by at a dizzying speed. Rough winds whipped through the plane making them all squint in order to see Carl properly. He backed towards the ramp, only just managing to keep his footing as the jet rocketed through the sky. Kurt saw Scott's skin beginning to glow pale blue, his fingers still desperately clawing at the handcuffs pressed against his windpipe. This had gone on long enough.

Kurt stepped forward, past Jubilee and the others, until he was just a few feet from Carl. The enormous man growled at him viciously. "Get back!" He spat, pulling on his restraints so hard that, for a moment, Scott's feet left the floor. Kurt snarled.

"Let him go." His voice was low and grave, even Carl seemed put off. He took another step backwards towards the ramp as the jet rattled. When Kurt followed him, Carl narrowed his eyes.

"I said get back!" But he would not be moved. Kurt was sick of being afraid of this man. He would rather die than let him hurt his friends again. Carl watched him carefully, his face twisted with anger. His foot left the ground to take another step back but a sudden surge of turbulence made the jet tilt at a heart-stopping angle.

Carl dove to grab hold of something, freeing Scott in the process. He fell forwards into Jubilee and they both landed in a heap on the floor. Seeing his window of opportunity slimming fast, Kurt ran forward to shut the ramp. He didn't hear Jean's warning cry, he didn't see Carl reaching into his shirt, but he certainly felt the sudden burst of blinding pain. The world lurched and Kurt fell onto his back, clutching at the small but jagged knife Kinnerman had driven into his stomach.

"Kurt!" Jean pushed her way to the back of the jet, trying to get to her fallen friend, but more turbulence hit them and she fell forward onto her knees. Hank was talking to them over the tannoy, trying to relay some information- perhaps instructions or a warning- but she barely heard him. Jean looked up, searching for the cold, hard eyes of Carl Kinnerman. But she never saw them again.

Jubilee pushed Scott off her and rushed to the ramp whilst her friends gathered around Kurt. She only leaned out as far as she dared but it was enough to see Carl dangling from the edge of the ramp. His fingers were pale, his body swinging almost lifelessly as they soared through the air. It was a wonder he'd managed to hang on at all. Jubilee dropped to her knees and crawled to the edge of the ramp. She wound the safety handle around her left wrist so that she wouldn't fall, then stretched, reaching for Carl.

"Take my hand!" She had to shout over the deafening roar of the engines and the constant scream of the wind. Carl bellowed, edging away from her down the ramp.

"I'll never dirty my skin with the hand of a filthy, disgusting mu-" His hand slipped, Carl lost his grip. His enormous body swung up then, much more permanently, down. Carl Kinnerman screamed as he fell, disappearing through the thick clouds to meet the city below.

* * *

Peggy had never been a pacer. She was always getting told off for fidgeting- tapping her fingers here and swinging her legs there- but she'd never paced about anything. But then again, she'd never made such an important decision before. She was in the east wing of the mansion, not far from the aeroplane hangar and the lock-up, and she was, for the first in her life, pacing.

"Kurt, we've been friends for a while now and I love it, I love you, but- Wait, no, no, no, no, not good." Peggy quickly backtracked, her face flushing red. She glanced around to make sure she was definitely alone, she didn't need anyone overhearing that little slip. "Okay, erm…"

She worried her lip as she tried again. "Kurt, you are my best friend and I think we should date." She let that hang in the air, testing how it sounded, before shaking her head. "No." Peggy sighed and threw her arms out at her sides. "I want to make out with you, like, a lot!" She waited for an imaginary response then began to laugh. No, definitely not.

She turned and began to walk back the other way. "Kurt, you and I are…" She was interrupted by the sudden roar of the jet plane coming into land. She was out of time. Peggy blew out a long breath to calm her nerves. She couldn't believe she was really doing this. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face. Peggy grinned when she heard thunderous footsteps coming her way. Her heart jumped up into her throat, her chest suddenly feeling like it might burst. No plan, no script, just tell him.

She moved back to allow her friends some room, she knew they'd be full of life after their successful mission and it frankly wasn't safe to compress their boisterousness. At last, they rounded the corner, breathless, and exhausted, but safe. Peggy had never been so happy to see them. She searched the crowd for one face in particular but Kurt was nowhere to be seen.

Peggy shrugged it off. He was probably putting his suit back or helping with Carl. It was only when her friends drew closer that she saw how pale they were. And what were they carrying? Peggy's grin vanished. _Please, no._ It was a stretcher. They were carrying a stretcher. "Kurt?" Peggy's knees shook beneath her. All the air left her lungs. Her teammates rushed past her, there was no time for hellos. Peggy immediately joined their ranks, keeping up with their frantic speed despite her weak legs.

They ran to the medical wing, not stopping for anyone. Jubilee tried her best to explain what happened but it was all too much. They reached the med bay doors and Hank ushered them inside. Kurt was quickly laid out on the nearest bed and he immediately got to work. They didn't want to get in Hank's way, so the kids all filed back out of the room, casting worried glances over their shoulders.

Only Peggy stayed. She watched as Hank crisscrossed the room, collecting an IV drip, syringes, a heart rate monitor, and an all manner of other items she couldn't name. Kurt looked so still. He was always so energetic and full of life, but now he looked so small.

The door opened behind her. Peggy turned to see Scott beckoning her over. The others were being debriefed by the Professor but Scott had stayed behind to be with her. Peggy knew she had to leave but something was rooting her to the spot. She didn't want to leave Kurt, she couldn't.

Scott was gentle as he took her by the arm and guided her out of the med bay, allowing her one last backwards glance before the doors swung shut behind them. He knew she wouldn't want to go far but Peggy looked like she was in shock. She needed to sit so Scott led her over to the wall where they sank down onto the floor, just to the right of the med bay doors.

"He's gonna be okay. It's probably not as bad as it looks." Scott hoped he was more reassuring than he sounded. Peggy only nodded faintly. He sighed and pulled his knees up so that he could rest his arms on top. They were going to be there a while, he may as well get comfortable.

They were silent for a long time. Well, Scott thought, it only felt like a long time. There was no clock around but he estimated only five minutes passed before he was brave enough to speak again. "I know how it feels." The knotted fingers, the terrible dread, the waiting. He knew it only too well. Peggy turned her head slightly. "I had a brother." His lips quirked at one corner, awkward and honest. "He died." Peggy finally met his gaze, her expression a confused mix of surprise and sadness. Scott knew what she was going to say. "I don't really talk about him. It's still..." His words faded to silence but he didn't need to explain, Peggy understood.

"What was his name?" Her voice was hoarse and stretched, a combination of the stress and not having spoken in a while. Scott could feel that same tightness in his own throat.

"Alex."

"Older, or..?"

"Older, yeah." Scott cracked a grin. "He was great, the best big brother a guy could ask for. He taught me everything there is to know, you know?" Peggy nodded. She was the oldest of her siblings, she knew the role well.

Scott straightened out his legs again, stretching right down to his toes. The mission had left him exhausted, the cold, hard floor wasn't helping either. "He got in trouble a lot when he was, well, about our age. But then he came here." Scott's head tilted towards the ceiling. Peggy could imagine his gaze sweeping across the ornate lighting medallion and Victorian paintwork above. "This school changed his life."

"What happened?" Peggy watched as Scott lowered his gaze back down to the floor.

"If it's okay," He said, his fingers drumming against the floorboards. "I'd rather not..."

"Don't worry." Peggy said quickly. She should've known it was a sore topic. Scott had never mentioned having a brother before. Then Peggy remembered the startling truth, that she'd only known Scott and the others for three months. It felt like years had passed since she met her best friends. Peggy felt like she'd known Kurt her whole life.

The thought of him made her stomach twist again. She hugged herself, tucking her chin against her chest. What if she never saw him again? Tears pricked her eyes but she angrily blinked them away. Scott must have caught her because he sighed and shuffled closer.

"I'm not telling you this to..." He shrugged, his hands floundering as he searched for the right words. "I don't know, to tell you that you should make every moment count and carpe diem, or whatever. I'm just... I think you should tell the people you care about that you love them every day, at every opportunity. Because you never know, one day they might..." He trailed off again but Peggy knew what he meant.

She watched him subconsciously brush his fingers over the bruises on his neck. In all the panic, she'd forgotten to ask about them. Later, she thought. Now was not the time. Peggy wasn't sure what she could say that would bring him some comfort. All she could do was shuffle closer until they leaned against each other, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Scott." She felt rather than saw him smile. His back was a little straighter, his shoulders lowered, his chin raised. They were going to be alright.

They stayed that way for some time, huddled together on the floor in a comfortable silence. The sky grew darker and darker until night fell completely, their only sign of what time it was. Still no news from Hank, but no news was good news. Scott looked down and suddenly remembered the reason Peggy wasn't with them on the jet.

"How's your shoulder?" Peggy hummed to herself then sat up so that she could raise her right arm. She experimentally prodded her shoulder and was pleased when she felt no pain.

"Pretty good." She held her arm up for Scott to see. "Nancy fixed it for me."

"Nancy?" Scott squeaked. Then, trying to retain some of his dignity, he cleared his throat and in a much deeper voice, he asked, "Did she mention me?"

"Actually, she mentioned Peter."

"Crap."

"And Ororo." Scott stared at her for a moment, waiting to see if she was joking. Then he sighed and tutted under his breath.

"Ororo I understand." He feigned disgust. "But Peter?" She couldn't help it. Scott looked so appalled that Peggy had to laugh. Scott grinned as she covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her giggles. He was pleased to lift her spirits. Worrying always made everything worse and it certainly wouldn't help Kurt.

They stayed there on the floor for another hour until finally, the med bay doors swung open. Hank was surprised to see them, it was late and they ought to be in their rooms. Peggy was on her feet in an instant. Her eyes were wide and fearful, so it brought Hank great joy to be able to tell her some good news.

"He's stable." He said softly. Peggy's eyes closed and she breathed for the first time in what felt like hours.

"Can I see him?" She asked, glancing over Hank's shoulder, hoping in vain to catch a glimpse of Kurt.

"It's better to let him rest for now." Hank rolled down his sleeves and ran a hand down his face. He looked tired. Peggy wanted to thank him for saving their friend but he spoke again before she could find the words. "When he wakes up, you can talk to him all you like, but now he needs to sleep." She took the hint. Go to bed.

Peggy nodded, smiled warmly at Hank, then helped Scott to his feet. They all needed a rest, although Peggy knew she wouldn't sleep a wink that night. They slowly meandered through the halls to their rooms, neither of them saying a word. Peggy left Scott on the second floor landing, staying to watch him disappear into the darkness before continuing her ascent.

He traipsed along the corridor, trying to make as little noise as possible. Scott opened his bedroom door but paused before entering. He glanced back at the door opposite his. Kurt was going to be okay. Scott faintly trailed his fingertips across the bruises on his neck before he shook himself and went to bed.

On the top floor, Peggy stepped into her own bedroom and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it, trying to catch her breath. It had been one hell of a day. She stayed there for a moment, letting her gaze travel across her darkened room. Everything reminded her of Kurt. Her television set, the radio, her bed, even the blue dress hanging over the back of a chair. Peggy sighed and pushed herself away from the door.

She didn't bother getting changed. She was still wearing the shirt and jogging bottoms Kurt gave her earlier. She collapsed onto her bed and willed her spinning mind to give her some peace. She gave up just a few minutes later.

Peggy reached over and flicked on her bedside lamp. Underneath it lay the only picture she had of Kurt. She held it between trembling fingers, pulling the neck of his shirt up with her other hand so that she could breathe in his scent. Peggy closed her eyes again and prayed for the first time in years.


	13. Chapter 13

_"You better love somebody, don't wait. You better love somebody, don't tempt fate. You're gonna push it just a little too far..."_

Kurt scrunched up his face as he slowly rose to consciousness. His eyes were closed but a bright orange light made it impossible to open them. He tried to move but his whole body felt like it was made of lead. He tried again and managed to turn his head. It was small but enough to hide from the burning light.

Kurt took a moment to assess the situation. He was lying on something soft, a bed, he thought. His stomach ached for some reason. A soft breeze brushed his cheek. He could just about hear the radio. Kurt wrinkled his nose. He hated this song. Peter always had it blaring obnoxiously from his headphones. Peter, his friends, the jet, Carl.

He forced his eyes open, straining against persuasive sleep. Clouds swam in front of him. Everything was blurry for a moment, like an out of focus photograph. Kurt blinked once, twice, and finally the room came into focus. His room. He lifted his head from the pillow, groaning when his every muscle complained.

He managed to hook his elbows underneath him and tried to sit up, but Kurt felt a hand on his chest, gentle but firm. It pushed him back down onto the bed and he didn't resist. He sighed as his back met the mattress again, closing his eyes for a moment before he looked around. To his heart's delight, he found Peggy sitting on a chair beside his bed. She smiled at him but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Guten Morgen." Kurt made a small noise of protest when she moved away. Her hand had been warm against his chest, comforting in this time of bewilderment, the only real, solid thing. Peggy smiled fondly at the sound but tutted when he tried to sit up again. He got halfway before she could stop him, grunting when his stomach coiled with pain. "No, no, no, no." She carefully pushed him back down, the need to be gentle clear in her mind. "Just relax, sweet cheeks." The corners of Kurt's mouth tugged back into a smile despite the sore ache in his stomach.

"You couldn't have picked a manlier nickname?" His forehead wrinkled as he braved the pain. He caught Peggy rolling her eyes.

"Well, at least we know that knife hasn't affected your sense of humour." She muttered, joining in on the joke despite her worry. Hank said that Kurt wouldn't be able to get up for a while yet. Or rather, he shouldn't. It was her job to make sure he stayed in bed whilst he recuperated, or at least until Hank gave him the all clear. Kurt closed his eyes and smiled again, his lip curling to reveal pointed fangs.

"Thank heaven with small mercies." He brought his hand up to rub his tired eyes, his jaw clenching with the effort. "That's the expression, yes?"

"Something like that." Peggy slid her hand across his chest to his shoulder, her fingers smoothing down the length of his arm before she finally pulled away. She somewhat awkwardly cleared her throat. Kurt turned his head and watched her gaze move uncertainly around the room, never staying in one place for very long.

He reached out and brushed his fingers against the back of her hand then curled them beneath her palm, lifting her hand so that he could slowly enclose it in his own. Peggy watched their fingers entwine and felt her nerves settle. When their eyes met, she gave Kurt a warm smile, a real smile. "Hank just left. He says you're all good to go whenever you feel like it. But, for my sake, take it slow at first, alright?"

He saw her smile but there was a sternness in Peggy's eyes that negated any warmth. She'd worried about him, that much was obvious. Kurt didn't say anything in response, didn't make any verbal oaths to take things easy, but he did give Peggy a firm nod that she knew meant he would try harder not to get himself killed. That was enough for her.

She knew Kurt couldn't promise he'd never get hurt again, neither of them could. They were X-Men, danger was in the job description. But perhaps they could both try to be a little less heroic in the future. Martyrdom isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Peggy whispered this to Kurt. He laughed and the sound was music to her ears.

"So, I'm okay?" Kurt certainly felt alright but he wanted to double-check. To his relief, Peggy nodded.

"Fit as a fiddle." She reached forward again and carefully tucked his hair behind a pointed ear. Kurt all but melted from her touch, it felt like years since they'd been so close. "Count your lucky stars, my lovely." Her soft, gentle voice and English term of endearment made Kurt sigh contentedly and for once, he wasn't embarrassed. Peggy felt his breath ghost across her wrist and felt her skin prickle.

She pulled her hand back, chewing on her lip. Kurt sat up and stretched his gangly arms above his head. The blankets fell away from him, pooling in his lap, and he noticed for the first time that he was shirtless. Kurt immediately tried to cover himself up again, scrambling at the sheets, pulling them up to his chin. Peggy watched all this with thinly-veiled amusement.

"Am I-" To spare him the embarrassment of asking, Peggy answered quickly before he could get any further.

"Naked? No, unfortunately not." She gave him a smirk that set his heart spinning. Kurt looked away, mortified by her insinuation, but smiling.

"I know you probably can't tell but you are making me blush, nachtigall." He said, which Peggy thought was funny because as always, he'd turned a dark shade of violet. Kurt leaned back against the pillow, the duvet still pulled modestly up to his neck. "What time is it?"

"It's just gone eleven." Peggy replied after checking her watch. "Monday 18th June 1984." Kurt squinted up at her.

"Monday?" He repeated. "So I've been-"

"Asleep for a little while, yeah." Peggy agreed gently. Kurt had actually been comatose for four days. Hank explained that he just needed to rest whilst his body repaired itself, but that didn't stop Peggy worrying. She visited as often as she could. There wasn't much she could do for him, she and the others had all felt terribly helpless. It had been a long weekend.

"Why aren't you in class?" It was Peggy's turn to look sheepish.

"I wanted to stay with you." She admitted. This surprised Kurt. Peggy felt guilty for days if she was even so much as late for a lesson, not that it happened often. The idea of her skipping class was a bit of a shock. "Hank let me miss a couple of lessons. I wanted to be here so you didn't wake up alone."

Kurt let her words hang in the air for a moment, repeating them over and over again in his head. He supposed that was quite a confession of affection, but it didn't feel as heart-stopping as the movies made it look. In fact, it felt quite natural. Which, he thought, was so much better.

"Is everyone alright?" He asked, sitting up again. His muscles complained wearily but he forced himself to stay upright. Kurt allowed the duvet to slip from his grasp just a little, so Peggy was gifted with the sight of his chest again before she met his gaze. It was nothing she hadn't seen before, she hated her heart for getting so overwhelmed.

"Everyone's fine." She said, glancing towards the door again. "Worried about you but fine." Jean, Jubilee, and Scott were all in lessons at the moment and as much as she loved her friends, Peggy hoped they wouldn't come parading in anytime soon. They were as excited to see Kurt as she was, they'd undoubtedly make an almighty racket. It was selfish but Peggy hoped they had a few more minutes alone, the first in what felt like years.

"Carl?" The name punctured the air, setting them both on edge. Peggy had hoped she'd never have to hear it again. She forced a reassuring smile.

"Hank will explain everything." Kurt looked understandably curious but Peggy didn't want to talk about the maniac who'd brought them so much pain. Instead, she simply said, "He won't be bothering us again." Kurt opened his mouth as if he wanted to question her but seemed to change his mind. He nodded faintly, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before he looked back to her.

"You look tired."

"Cheers."

"No, no, I just meant-"

"I'm joking, Kurt." Peggy chuckled, shaking her head slightly. He was far too easy to wind up. Kurt could feel his face starting to heat up again so he quickly changed the subject.

"Can you pass me a shirt?" He gestured vaguely over to his chest of drawers. Kurt would've got it himself but he didn't trust his legs just yet. Peggy didn't bat an eye, though she did send him another smirk as she got out of her chair.

"I was rather enjoying the view."

"You know what they say about too much of a good thing." Peggy looked back at him over her shoulder, grinning when she saw his proud expression. She scoffed and looked away again.

"You're delusional, Sonnenblume." Peggy found a shirt and chucked it over to him. Kurt caught it in one hand, which was strangely attractive, much to Peggy's annoyance. She carefully kicked away the chair she'd been using and sat down on the bed as Kurt pulled on his shirt.

He felt the mattress dip and was suddenly wildly aware that Peggy Murphy was sitting on his bed, her left arm and thigh touching his. This is what dreams were made of. Well, his dreams anyway. Kurt glanced across and saw that her face was set in a frown. Something was occupying her thoughts, something troubling. "You promised me you'd be careful." Her voice was low and grave, a stark difference to her demeanour not thirty seconds ago. Kurt couldn't tell whether she was mad or upset. Perhaps both.

"I know, I'm sorry." He looked down at his hands folded neatly in his lap. Peggy clicked her tongue and nudged his arm with hers.

"You should be." Flecks of humour mixed with her words, letting him know she wasn't angry with him but her taught expression still hadn't changed. "When they brought you in, for a minute I thought-" Peggy stopped herself. It wasn't productive to dwell on bad things. "Doesn't matter. You're alright, that's what's important."

Kurt nodded faintly. He glanced down and realised she'd nudged him with her wounded arm. He frowned and leaned away so that he could get a better look. Peggy wore a short-sleeved shirt so he could see that her bandages were gone. In fact, there seemed to be no sign of her bullet wound at all.

"Your shoulder." He absentmindedly brushed his fingers across her upper arm. Peggy stoppered a contented hum for the sake of her own dignity. She wanted him to touch her but not now, not when the conversation was so solemn and someone might burst in at any moment.

"Nancy fixed it." She tugged down the shoulder of her shirt so that he could see what her new friend had done for her. Kurt ignored the new expanse of skin on show and the deep red of Peggy's bra strap and focused on her shoulder, where there once was a short, jagged scar.

"Nancy D'Ambrosio?"

"She did a pretty good job, eh?" Peggy let go of her shirt, her hand rising to gently touch Kurt's face instead. "You should ask her to take a look at you. You've been through the wars a bit, my lovely." Peggy smiled softly as she brushed her thumb across his cheek. Her gaze travelled across his face, following the raised lines in his skin as if she could read them. All Kurt could do was stare at her and try not to faint.

Peggy was so close, he could feel the warmth of her body. It was driving him crazy, all he wanted to do was touch her and hold her close, but he felt frozen, as if time had stopped just for them. Peggy's lips twitched ever so slightly as she pushed his hair out of his eyes, it was getting long again already. Kurt's gaze flicked down to her mouth, so, so close, he could hardly stand it.

Peggy smoothed her hand down the side of his face, her fingers poised to resume their gentle touches, but Kurt turned his head ever so slightly at the last second and her thumb brushed over his bottom lip. Peggy's breath hitched and she quickly pulled her hand back. Kurt stared at her and Peggy stared back. Neither knew quite what to do.

Kurt watched as Peggy's wide eyes dropped to his mouth. She licked her lips. With a barely concealed groan, he decided he couldn't take it anymore. Kurt had wanted to tell Peggy how he felt for months and he'd be damned if he wasted another second of their time together in cowardly silence. Kurt moved closer until there was barely any room left between them and steeled his nerves.

"Peggy, I-" Before he could begin the eloquent and extremely well thought-out speech he'd been writing in his head for the past three months, Peggy leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a sudden, hard kiss. She simply couldn't stand the tension any longer. Kurt made a surprised sound. His eyes were wide but by the time he realised he ought to close them, Peggy had moved away.

Her chest rose and fell heavily, left breathless by both the kiss and the overwhelming tension that had enveloped them. Seeing Kurt injured was the last straw. She was tired of wanting him and not doing anything about it. Peggy bit her lip, searching his face for some kind of reaction. Kurt's lips were parted slightly in silent surprise, his eyes still wide. Peggy gave him a small, tentative smile. Then her expression fell into concern.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I interrupted you, that was so rude. What were you going to say?" Kurt stared at her for a moment and Peggy was worried she'd read the signs wrong. Perhaps he didn't want to kiss her, perhaps she'd just made the biggest mistake of her young life. Thankfully, her anxieties were dispelled when Kurt shook his head.

"Vergiss es." He said in a low, breathy voice she'd never heard him use before. Peggy barely had time to translate before Kurt leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Now it was Peggy's turn to be surprised but it definitely didn't last long.

She gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him closer until she could hardly breathe. Kurt was a little surprised to say the least but he wasn't complaining. His mouth moved against hers desperately, like he'd been waiting his whole life to kiss her. It certainly felt that way.

Her hand found his cheek again, her thumb smoothing back and forth across the grooves in his skin. Kurt pulled back after a moment but he didn't go far. His head was spinning, his heart felt like it was going to implode. It was wonderful.

Peggy leaned her forehead against his as they both tried to catch their breath, delighted smiles on their faces. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." Kurt whispered, quiet, nervous laughter making his shoulders shake. Peggy hummed and pulled back just far enough to kiss his forehead then his lips again for good measure, smiling all the while.

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Kurt gave her a lopsided smile and Peggy was pleased to find she was free to enjoy it. Every time he'd smiled at her like that in the past, she had to grit her teeth and resist the urge to kiss him. There was no need to hold back any longer.

Peggy laughed, simply because she was so happy, and wrapped her arms around Kurt's neck, pulling him back in for another kiss, this one a lot less sweet than the first. Kurt's hands floundered awkwardly until he decided to trust his instincts and wrapped them around Peggy's waist. He felt her smile against his mouth and guessed he was doing a good job, but then she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and Kurt nearly fainted with joy.

"I can't believe I'm kissing a girl on my bed." He murmured, only really half joking. Peggy held back a derisive snort but only because she was distracted. He was a lot braver than she had anticipated. Peggy thought she might have to steer him a bit but Kurt's hands smoothed up her sides, mapping the curves of her body with the same reverence he always regarded her with. Peggy sighed contentedly, her eyes closing of their own accord.

"You absolute dork." She muttered, fondly shaking her head. Well, she couldn't let him get away with it, not even in their current position. Kurt looked like he was about to argue so Peggy silenced him with a hard kiss. She pressed herself as close to Kurt as she could, wanting more of his warmth. Kurt was more than happy to oblige.

Peggy's fingers slipped into his hair, curling inwards so that her nails grazed his skin. Kurt moaned softly, much to his own embarrassment. He faltered slightly, his heart pounding, but Peggy seemed more than pleased by the sound. She leaned into him, her chest against his, her fingers pulling on his hair again, trying to draw another moan from him.

Kurt was starting to get a bit overwhelmed. He'd thought about this a lot (like, a lot) but he'd never had any practice and suddenly here he was, kissing Peggy in the wake of a near-death experience. His head was telling him to stop, to allow himself a minute to take everything in, but his heart all but drowned it out.

Kurt slid his hand back down Peggy's side, listening for her little hums of approval. Peggy was surprised to say the least, Kurt had always been secretly very suave, but this she hadn't expected. She was even more surprised when she heard a voice from across the room.

"Ew..." Kurt and Peggy broke apart to find their friends crowded in the bedroom doorway. Jubilee, Jean, and Scott stared at them with expressions varying from acute disgust to exasperation. Peggy noted that none of them looked the least bit surprised. It was Scott who spoke. He grimaced slightly. "We come to see how our best friend is doing and find him making out with our other best friend?"

"Way gross." Agreed Jean, shaking her head like a disappointed teacher. Jubilee pulled a face.

"Like seeing your parents kiss, yeurgh." Peggy carefully untangled herself from Kurt, surreptitiously tugging down her skirt as she went.

"Thanks, guys." Kurt gave Jubilee a withering look and she poked her tongue out in return. Despite the compromising position they'd been found in, Kurt didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable as he thought he would. Perhaps it was because, despite their jokes, his friends in the doorway were beaming away. They were clearly just as happy that he and Peggy were finally together as he was.

Kurt made to stand up from the bed. He wanted to greet his friends properly, he hadn't seen them since the incident with Carl on the jet, but a hand stopped him. Peggy, red-lipped and mischievous, grinned at her friends.

"If you didn't like that, you'll hate what we're about to do next." She said, raising her eyebrows meaningfully. Although Kurt was a little stunned, Jubilee, Jean, and Scott didn't have to hear another word.

"Oh, God." Scott looked horrified as he and the girls stumbled towards the door in their hurry to leave. Walking in on their friends was funny, but witnessing their frankly long overdue first kisses was another matter entirely. Kurt chuckled as he watched his friends pile out of the door then turned back to Peggy. She was smiling at him brightly, her cheeks flushed and her eyes full of life. He raised his eyebrows.

"What're we doing next?" Kurt knew she was only joking, a quick remark to get back at their friends, but he couldn't help being curious. To his surprise and delight, Peggy smirked before putting her hand on his chest and pushing him down onto the mattress.

Before a coherent thought could cross his mind, Peggy was on top of him. She kissed him, slow and meaningful, and he knew in that moment that she'd been waiting for this as long as he had. His hands cupped her face, taking extra care so as not to scratch her with his nails. Peggy smiled, knowing that she was loved and the happiest she'd ever been. Kurt had only one thought as her lips ghosted across his cheek down to the skin of his neck. He opened his eyes and spoke to the heavens. "Danke schön."

Of course, it wasn't long before they were interrupted again. Hank came in to check on Kurt just a few minutes after their friends hurried off. The second they heard the door handle rattle, Peggy was on her feet and Kurt was back against the pillows, quickly wiping away any lipstick she might've left on his skin. Hank entered just in time to see Peggy pulling her wrinkled shirt into place.

"Ah, you're awake." He said, tactfully ignoring whatever it was he'd just walked in on. Hank pulled up the chair Peggy had abandoned and sat down beside the bed. "How do you feel?" Kurt glanced at Peggy, who was hovering awkwardly behind Hank.

"Good. Very good." He said, trying to rein in his smile and failing. Hank glanced between his two students. When he saw Peggy's matching, ridiculous smile he decided it was better not to ask.

"You're perfectly healthy. Just take it steady, okay?" Hank knew his warning would most likely fall on deaf ears. The X-Men were often injured in some way or another, usually just minor cuts and scrapes but there was the occasional sprain or broken bone. Hank always tried his best to keep his students off their feet while they recuperated but they were teenagers and teenagers rarely listened. "I want to do a few checks first but you're free to leave when we're done."

Before he gathered his equipment, Hank turned to Peggy, who was still hovering nervously behind him. She knew she probably ought to leave them to it, but she'd only just got Kurt back and was reluctant to leave him again so soon. "In the meantime," Hank went on. "Some of us have class to go to." Well, that solved things. She should go. Peggy smiled ruefully and nodded.

"See you later, Kurt." She gave him a little wave before she grabbed her jacket from the hook behind the door and left the room. Kurt gazed after her, a stupid smile on his face. The door clicked shut and Kurt turned back to Hank, who was uncomfortably digging through his bag. He glanced up at him, gave him a look, then turned back to his equipment.

"What?" Kurt scoffed, feeling his cheeks start to burn. Being teased by his friends was to be expected, but getting grief from his teacher was on another level of humiliation. Hank gave him a 'nothing' look but he was smiling to himself, clearly very amused. Kurt shook his head despairingly but he was simply too elated to care.

Peggy reluctantly trudged to her next lesson (History, down on the first floor). Crowds of kids rushed past her in a hurry not to be late but she dragged her feet. All she could think about was Kurt. He was going to be alright. She'd been in a persistent state of worry over the last four days, her stomach constantly twisting with anxiety at the mere thought of something bad happening whilst she was in a lesson.

Peggy reached her class and joined the queue of kids waiting to go in. She had to keep reminding herself that Kurt was fine, that she didn't have to worry anymore. There were far more pressing matters to consider, like the fact that she'd just kissed him. Suddenly Peggy's chest felt all funny for an entirely different reason.

Part of her couldn't believe that she'd been brave enough, the other half berated herself for taking so long. Professor Yu gave her an odd look as she walked past and Peggy realised she was grinning to herself like an idiot. She ducked her head and hurried to her seat, not wanting to inspire any awkward questions. Just another hour and then she would see him again. That thought and the feeling of Kurt's lips against hers were all that Peggy needed to get her through the rest of her day.

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch, Peggy hurried out of the classroom without a backwards glance. Jean met her at the door and they walked down to the main hall together where they found Jubilee waiting. She joined them, instantly slipping into the conversation with ease. She told them that she'd seen Kurt in the hallway and that he'd be joining them after he'd spoken to a few of his teachers about some work he'd missed. Peggy didn't think it was particularly fair to make him catch up on his homework, but school was school, the Xavier Institute was no different.

Scott appeared as if from nowhere a few seconds later, barrelling into their conversation with some news of his own. Despite his excitement, he refused to tell them what had happened until they were sat down on the grass. Once the group was seated under their tree and had tucked into their lunch, Scott revealed his big news.

"I spoke to her. To Nancy. Properly." He said, his grin wide. The reaction was immediate.

"What?"

"When?"

"Oh, my God."

"What did you say?" Scott knew he could always count on a good reaction from his friends. They'd been following his and Nancy's story for a while now and there had been few developments, unlike Peggy and Kurt's blossoming relationship which had been juicy enough to keep them speculating happily for months.

"Well, it was our last Spanish class of the semester and I knew if I didn't say anything, I never would. So, I walked right up to her and..." Scott paused for dramatic effect. Jubilee rolled her eyes, eager for him to finish the story but not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

"Yeah?" Peggy pressed instead, too excited to care. Scott leaned serenely back against the old tree trunk, tucking his hands behind his head so that he was more comfortable.

"I asked her if Annie was seeing anyone, which she isn't. And then I asked Nancy if she thought Annie would ever consider going out with me." Scott smiled. "She said yes. So, I'm gonna ask Annie out tonight." As expected, there was a sort of stunned silence. Scott knew Jean would already know, she couldn't help reading his mind sometimes, but she still looked pleased. They loved Nancy but they could all see that Scott liked Annie a lot more than he let on, probably more than he realised.

Once he thought he'd left enough time for the news to sink in, Scott continued, very pleased to be the centre of attention. "Nancy is great and all but she's not... I don't know, I just got a feeling about Annie, you know?" He scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling self-conscious. They couldn't see it because of his glasses but his gaze had dropped shyly to the ground.

"Peggy knows." Jean teased, giving her a nudge in the side. While her friends laughed, Peggy clicked her tongue and gently shoved Jean back.

"Shut up." She tried to sound annoyed but even she couldn't keep the smile from her face. It was a beautiful day, school was almost over for the holidays, and all her friends were safe and well. Just when she thought she couldn't be any happier, Jubilee suddenly perked up beside her.

"Speaking of..." Before they could ask what she meant, Jubilee suddenly sprang to her feet and charged across the grass. "Kurt!" Peggy's heart leapt at the sound of his name. She turned to see him walking across the garden. It had only been a couple of days but seeing Kurt up and about again was wonderful for them all.

He looked just the same as always, tall and gangly, blue as blue, and smiling widely. When Jubilee reached him, she threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him onto his back with the momentum. Kurt staggered back a few steps, his arms flailing as he tried to catch her, but he was laughing so loud, the whole garden must have been able to hear him.

"Careful, careful!" Kurt warned as he placed her back on the ground. He laughed again when Jubilee didn't let go, even when he unwrapped his arms from around her. "I am one hug like that away from splitting my stitches." When Jubilee finally released him, she took Kurt by the hand and guided him over to their tree, half dragging him across the garden in her hurry.

"It's good to see you, pal." Scott pulled his friend into a quick hug then ruffled his hair whilst Jean had her turn. Finally, Kurt turned to Peggy. She could feel all eyes on them but tried her best to ignore her ridiculous friends as she wrapped her arms tight around Kurt's middle. He was so warm and inviting, she wondered how she'd managed to resist him all this time.

Kurt hugged her back, ducking his head to place a chaste kiss on her temple. Peggy was surprised by how ordinary it felt, it was like they'd been together for years. She thought because they'd been friends for so long there might be some awkwardness at first, but kissing Kurt felt as natural as breathing. She felt him smile against her skin and knew he must be thinking along the same lines.

Peggy heard her friends stifle a giggle and the moment was gone. She raised her head from Kurt's shoulder and saw them all grinning. Jean, Jubilee and Scott were pleased that their friends had finally got together, especially Jubilee, who'd correctly guessed how long it would take, winning their secret bet and earning herself $10 in the process. That didn't mean they were going to stop teasing them anytime carefully

Kurt sat down in-between Jean and Scott, pressing a hand against his stomach as he lowered himself. He winced slightly, his wound was still a little tender, but when he saw Peggy watching nervously, he gave her a reassuring smile.

"So, what did I miss?" They only had half an hour for lunch. It wasn't much but somehow the four of them managed to fit in all they could about the days Kurt had missed. They had the evening and every day after it, but there was so much to tell, they couldn't help rushing through all the highlights.

Kurt was relieved to learn that no one apart from himself had been seriously injured on the mission to stop Carl, and that The Purifiers had disbanded and were now on the radar of the appropriate authorities. When he found out that Carl had fallen from the plane, Kurt looked solemn for a moment. Carl was a horrid, brutish, violent man, but he wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Jean explained that they had a meeting that evening with the Professor and Hank, a proper debriefing now that all the X-Men could be present. Jubilee explained all that he'd missed in the classes they shared and Scott repeated his news about Annie. Kurt was pleased that he was going to ask her out, he liked Annie very much and knew that they'd be happy.

Peggy listened to her friends chatter and laugh with a small smile. It felt like years since they'd all been together and so carefree. The only thing they had to worry about now was getting through their last few lessons until the summer holidays could begin. She was supposed to go back home once school ended but now, looking at her ridiculous friends shining in the afternoon sun, Peggy thought she might have to change her plans.

They heard the school bell's shrill cry and begrudgingly got to their feet, grumbling and complaining but happy. Peggy held out her hand to Jubilee and pulled her up, laughing when she bowled into her. She did the same for Kurt but kept hold of his hand, much to his delight.

"What've you got next?" She asked, wondering if they might be able to meet up sometime afterwards or if she wouldn't see him again until later in the afternoon. Kurt thought for a moment, trying to picture the timetable he'd memorised so long ago.

"Chemistry." He realised with a bitter click of his tongue. He truly hated the subject, it had caused him nothing but grief. He'd considered dropping it after the holidays and taking Physics instead but he was worried it might be even worse. Peggy chuckled at his expression and made a show of dragging him away from their tree.

"C'mon." She teased, still not letting go of his hand as she guided him towards the school. They walked in a line back up the path to the mansion until they reached the main hall and scattered. Scott headed off to Maths alone, whilst Jean spotted one of her classmates amongst the crowds and joined him.

Jubilee, Kurt and Peggy trudged up the stairs to their lessons on the next floor, somehow managing to keep together amidst the current of students heading in every direction. They paused on the second floor where Kurt had his lesson. "See you at four." Peggy turned to join the flow of students heading up to the upper floors where her English class was about to begin.

"Wait." A hand wrapped around her own and she was gently pulled back. Peggy turned and found Kurt had moved closer. He squeezed her hand before ducking his head and kissing her, fleeting but very sweet. Peggy was a little stunned. There she was thinking Kurt would be all shy and hesitant, and he goes and kisses her on the stairwell in front of hundreds of students and at least two teachers. She blinked once, twice, and knew she must have looked a bit stupid, but Peggy just couldn't quite believe that they were finally together after months of waiting.

"That was nice." She breathed, for once the shyer of the two of them. Kurt grinned, clearly quite pleased with himself. He'd never had a girlfriend before, in fact before that afternoon, he'd never even kissed a girl. Peggy seemed impressed if a little dumbfounded, which was certainly doing wonders for his ego.

"Bis später." Kurt said brightly, smiling first at Peggy then waving to Jubilee, who was standing at the beginning of the next stairwell and looked like she'd just won the lottery.

"See you." Peggy echoed. She watched Kurt walk away until he disappeared into the crowds. Jubilee noted her tiny grin and only just stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Peggy turned to follow her friend up the stairs but paused when she saw the look on her face. "What?"

"Nothing." Jubilee said without missing a beat, though her smug expression negated any nonchalance she may have been trying to put across. Peggy sighed and clambered up the stairs, not wanting to be late for their lesson.

"I know you think it's weird."

"I don't think it's weird." Jubilee said immediately, suddenly worried that she'd pushed it too far. They were always teasing each other but maybe this was the one thing Peggy wasn't comfortable joking about. She must've heard the concern in her voice because she gave Jubilee a reassuring smile to let her know she wasn't upset in any way.

"You said it was like watching your mum and dad kiss." Peggy laughed at the thought of her and Kurt being the parents of the group. Jubilee rolled her eyes, shifting her bag up onto her shoulder as they rounded the first flight of stairs.

"I didn't mean it like that." Peggy raised her eyebrows and Jubilee knew she wanted her to elaborate. She thought for a minute. "You know when you see kids kissing and it's all gross and slobbery, like they're trying to count each other's teeth?" Peggy grimaced.

"Ew."

"Exactly! But with you and Kurt, it's like seeing your parents. It's different. You know, it's like there's just the two of you and you're so… Wholesome?" Jubilee finished her explanation just as they reached the fourth floor. Professor Nnebuogor abhorred lateness above all else but Peggy was willing to risk one of her most severe glares for a chance to tease Jubilee.

"Wholesome?" She repeated, stopping mid-step and spitting out the word with all the dubiety she could muster. Jubilee scoffed and elbowed her in the side on her way past her.

"You know what I mean."

* * *

The rest of the day passed with the same lacklustre speed as usual. Lessons dragged on whilst the sun shone outside, making the classrooms stuffy and the students even drowsier. French was easy, so easy that it was boring.

Jean and Peggy had no need for passing notes, what with the latter's mutation, but they liked to uphold tradition and wrote them anyway. The tiny scraps of paper were easily exchanged as their desks were next to each other, the fun part was getting them to Valerie Joseph, a friend of theirs who sat at the other end of the room.

When the final bell rang at last, it was like a weight had been lifted from Peggy's shoulders. She packed away her things in record time despite having almost half an hour to kill before their meeting with the Professor.

She and Jean picked up their homework from the front of the class then meandered down the hall to the stairs, trying to pick out their friends amongst the mêlée. They didn't see anyone until they reached the ground floor. Kurt was just passing by the bottom of the stairs when he saw them and waved.

"How are you feeling?" Jean asked him once they'd navigated the sea of pupils and joined his side. Kurt experimentally prodded at his stomach and instantly regretted it when his wound smarted. He chuckled at his own stupidity whilst his friends shook their friends, half amused and half concerned.

"I'm okay. I forget that I have them, the stitches, and it hurts if I move too suddenly." Kurt explained, though it felt somewhat redundant after the demonstration he'd just given them.

"I'm telling you, go see Nancy. She sorted me right out." Peggy waved her arm about freely. There was no scar, no pain, no sign that she'd been shot at all. She was already brainstorming gifts to say thank you to Nancy for fixing her shoulder without asking for anything in return.

Kurt nodded thoughtfully. He didn't want Nancy to feel like she was being extorted, but maybe he could make a special request, seeing as he had training and possible future X-Men missions to consider. He knew Nancy would agree either way but it was his own conscience he was worried about.

They turned the corner and the Professor's office came into view down at the far end of the corridor. Scott was already there waiting for them with Ororo. Peter wouldn't be coming that evening, but he'd asked them to call later and fill him in on everything he missed. Kurt took Peggy's hand, silently asking her to stop before they walked any further.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked quietly. Peggy glanced at Jean, who had read that Kurt wanted to talk in private, so had left them to it. What Kurt didn't know was that she was repeating all that she heard to Scott and Ororo, who loved their friends dearly but couldn't miss out on an opportunity like this.

"Anything." Peggy smiled and Kurt immediately returned it. He glanced in the direction of his friends, who were giggling amongst themselves.

"You are my girlfriend, yes?" Peggy grinned, pleased to hear it out loud for the first time. 'Kurt's girlfriend', it had a nice ring to it.

"If you'll have me."

"Oh, I'll have you." Kurt replied, perhaps a little too quickly. Then he saw the slightly surprised look on Peggy's face and realised what he'd said. "I mean- That came out wrong-"

"It's alright, I know what you meant." Peggy tried to hide her smile. When he got nervous, Kurt fumbled a little over his words. It was barely noticeable and frankly, the fact that he had mastered English as a second language excused him from any little mistakes he might sometimes make. It was also very, very adorable.

Kurt dropped his gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling quite shy. The way Peggy smiled at him always left his heart thudding but now it was different, now it was okay to want to kiss her and hold her close. It was new territory and it would take a while to get used to, but he'd have fun doing it.

"You are my girlfriend and I am yours completely." He went on, casting a nervous glance towards his friends just to make sure that they weren't eavesdropping. Thankfully they were talking amongst themselves and weren't paying them any attention, at least that's how it appeared.

Jean, Ororo and Scott were actually working very hard to make it look like they were deep in conversation when actually they were straining to hear what Kurt and Peggy were discussing down at the other end of the hall. They could only catch snatches of sentence but it was enough to keep them entertained whilst they waited to go in. "But I just want to know... Can we still be friends?" Peggy hadn't been expecting that. She frowned at Kurt, shaking her head slightly.

"What do you mean?" Kurt glanced over at their friends again quickly. He caught Jean's eye and she immediately looked away. With a sigh, Kurt took a step closer to Peggy so that they could lower their voices a little more. He had nothing to hide, he wasn't ashamed, he just wanted this particular conversation to be private.

"People who are dating do the kissing and the hand holding and the- You know, that stuff." Kurt waved a hand about airily, making Peggy chuckle. "But can we do all that whilst still doing all the things we used to do when we were just friends?" Ah, so that was what had him so worried. Peggy could tell there was something bothering him, she was glad it was this.

Footsteps to their right made them both look around. Jubilee came rushing down the corridor, apologising rapidly for being late. She blamed her teacher, of course. She definitely hadn't earned the detention she'd been given. Peggy would've liked to hear her story but Kurt's expression hadn't relaxed and his question couldn't be simply brushed off.

Their friendship had also crossed her mind. Would all that go away if they started dating? Would their relationship put a strain on their friendship? What if, God forbid, they ever broke up? Could they go back to being friends? How would it affect the others? So many questions and all so daunting, no wonder Kurt looked so worried.

Peggy leaned back against the wall behind her and crossed her arms over her chest. She hoped Kurt would notice how relaxed she was and follow suit but he continued to wring his hands. Peggy sighed slightly and tilted her head to the side.

"Kurt, I've only had a few boyfriends." She said softly. "There was Danny, my first. We were six, he had a red bike. I was powerless to resist." She grinned, hoping that would make him laugh. Thankfully, Kurt's hands stilled and he gave her a small smile in return. "Then there was Ben, we were in the same English class. He was a very bad kisser." She grimaced at the memory and hurried on. "And then there was Tommy. He had a motorbike and could open a beer bottle with his bicep, and I was powerless to resist once more."

"I'd probably date him too." Kurt muttered, which made Peggy laugh so loudly that it made their friends looked over interestedly.

"They were all lovely in their own ways, although all were tragically short-lived." Peggy straightened up and took a step closer to Kurt. "Now, there's you." At the change in her voice, he met her gaze properly for the first time since he'd brought up the subject. Peggy studied his face for a moment, taking in every little detail just for her own enjoyment. "You're different." Kurt nodded solemnly. That, he thought, was blindingly obvious.

"Is it the tail?" He gestured behind him vaguely. "Or the German thing?" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Or the blue thing?"

"Well, all of the above really, but..." Peggy trailed off when her friends' chatter suddenly stopped. The Professor's office door had clicked open. Hank was there, gesturing for them all to come in. He was smiling so plainly their little meeting wasn't going to be too grave. Just a quick debriefing and then they could get on with their evening.

While their friends slowly filed into the office, Peggy took the opportunity to say what she'd been too embarrassed to admit until they were alone. "With the others, I met them, they asked me out, we had a laugh, and we broke up. But you..." She paused.

Kurt watched her slowly begin to smile as he patiently waited for her to go on. "Kurt, you're... My heart always starts beating really fast whenever I see you. And you always ask about my day. And somehow you always say the right thing." Peggy wasn't usually the type to confess something like that. She rarely allowed herself to be so maudlin. Even now, she could feel her cheeks turning pink. But this was Kurt, she could tell him anything. And right now, he needed reassuring.

Peggy reached out and gently took his hand in hers, shaping her fingers so that they interlocked with his. Kurt took a step closer and all thoughts of the world around her vanished. "You will always be my best friend. The only difference is that now, I get to kiss you whenever I feel like it, rather than just staring at you like a lunatic."

Kurt could feel all his worries slipping away. It was ridiculous to question their friendship, they'd been through so much together. Nothing was going to change, just as Peggy said. Kurt knew the others were waiting, he knew that Jean and the Professor were probably listening in, and that the corridor wasn't exactly private, but he didn't care. He pressed his forehead against hers, squeezing her hand tight.

"How long have you been wanting to kiss me for?" He heard Peggy laugh softly.

"About three months."

"Then we should make up for lost time, ja?"

"I like the way you think, Kurt Wagner."

* * *

1\. Forget it.


	14. Chapter 14

The late June air was sweet with the flowers that scattered the school grounds, a welcome contrast to the usual sharp scent of teenagers and the constant shrieks and laughs that accompanied them. Most of the children at the Institute had returned home for the summer, some travelling far across the globe to be reunited with their families.

For the few kids who elected to stay, the school was unnervingly empty. One could now easily wander its halls without jostling with a thousand other kids rushing in every possible direction. For once, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was peaceful. Well, almost.

"Ready?" Scott called to his teammates. He only got a murmur of agreement in response but it was enough. He craned his neck to look over his shoulder. Behind him, Jean gave him a short, sharp nod, her fingers curling and stretching restlessly at her sides.

Scott tipped the ball between his hands, mapping out his plan of action in his head. Summer had almost reached its peak and that meant football. None of them were particularly athletic but they made up for it with a daunting competitiveness that meant no one else outside their group wanted to risk joining in.

Scott looked forward again, right into Ororo's dark, clever eyes. She played lots of games with the smaller children back home and some were quite similar to football, so it didn't take long to explain the rules. Ororo often thought about her home with a sad fondness but in times like this, with the sun warming her back and her friends gathered around her, she could forget her homesickness for a little while. "Set!" Scott smirked at Ororo, who crouched in readiness, her hands on her knees, preparing to spring into action. "Hut!"

Scott threw the ball to Jean who caught it easily. She rushed forward, moving so fast that her bright red hair streamed behind her. Whilst Kurt ran after her, Scott skirted around the outside, ready to meet her at the end zone they'd constructed out of two bags and a jacket. Jean danced around Kurt, chuckling when he got tangled up in his own feet and stumbled. She found a clear path and lobbed the ball over the heads of her competitors.

Scott had to take a few steps back but was still in position when the ball met him. He turned on his heel, ready to cross the line and win his team some points, but he felt something burst beneath his foot like a very tiny landmine. Scott yelped and tumbled backwards. He'd barely caught his footing when someone collided with him at top speed, knocking him to the ground. Scott groaned as he turned over onto his back to face his attacker.

The teams were somewhat uneven, it was just him and Jean against Ororo, Jubilee, and Kurt. He'd voiced his concern as they were setting up the field but, as Kurt pointed out, with Jean's mutation, he really couldn't complain. You would think they'd have the advantage but the scores were not in their favour. Having a mind reader on your team was great, but being extraordinarily good at football was better. And boy, was Jubilee good.

"You gotta be faster than that, laser brain." She didn't appear the least bit apologetic about slamming him to the ground. Scott sat up on his elbow and glared at his friend as best he could with his visor.

"What happened to that 'no mutations allowed' rule?" He nodded to the patch of grass, now a blackened smudge against the rest of the verdant lawn, where he stood just a moment ago. Jubilee wriggled her fingers, sending tiny sparks cascading down to the ground.

"Can't you believe that I'm just naturally very talented?" She waited for him to smile but it never came. Jubilee laughed, apologised, and helped Scott to his feet, though she never once admitted that she had used her somewhat explosive mutation to knock him off course. They got back into position again, this time the ball was in Ororo's hands. She repeated the calls Scott had quickly taught her then pulled back her arm.

"Kurt, go long!" She ordered, then swung her arm hard, sending the football flying across the makeshift field. It soared over the heads of the players. Scott didn't even bother running after it. She'd thrown too hard and too high, there was no way it would stay within the imaginary lines of the pitch. **BAMF**.

Kurt suddenly appeared in mid-air, high above the heads of his friends. They watched, some with disbelief, some with awe, as he caught the football Ororo had sent soaring across the field. Kurt let out a triumphant cry before vanishing again in a flash and appearing back down on the ground where he carefully placed the football over the touchline. Scott didn't know whether to be annoyed or impressed. He turned to Jean, who looked equally as confused as he probably did.

"Okay, that's definitely cheating."

Not far from where they stood, Peggy was sat on the sidelines. She could just about catch the argument her friends were having if she cared to pay attention but she had her head buried in a book. The bright summer sun smoothed over her skin and the cool breeze kept her from getting too hot. She couldn't imagine a more perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Peggy looked up when a loud cry reached her from the makeshift field. Jean had just scored what she thought was called a 'touchdown' but she wasn't sure. Scott was grinning like an idiot, clearly very pleased with himself but despite the distance, Peggy could see Jubilee's determined expression.

"Who's winning?" The question was accompanied by a whoosh of air, sharper and more sudden than the summer breeze. Peggy didn't look up from her book.

"I have no idea." She said honestly. "Ororo's team, I think." Peter watched his friends careen about on the field for a moment. His fingers itched at his sides, his left foot tapping a steady rhythm. Peggy had found his habits annoying at first but now she was quite used to them. They watched Ororo tackle Scott, steal the ball and throw it to Jubilee, who scored seconds later.

"You not playing?" Peggy carefully folded over the corner of the page she was on and placed her book on the grass before her. She was pleased to see Peter, he hadn't visited the school in a while. He was often busy entertaining his sisters who were also on summer vacation. Peter didn't mind, in fact, he lived to be at their beck and call, but today his mum had a day off work so she was at home with the girls and he had a chance to hang out with his friends.

"I don't know how to play." Peggy admitted, her gaze following her friends as they crisscrossed the grass. "I thought I'd watch for a bit. I might join in later if I pick it up." Her enormous memory meant she'd be able to master the sport in a matter of minutes but American football was a little too boisterous for her liking. "Although, it's fun just watching them." She grinned. "I mean, I have no measure, but I don't think they're very good." Peter laughed and quickly agreed. It wasn't that their friends were bad players, it's just that there was so much barefaced cheating going on that their game could hardly be considered a fair match.

"Who would you say needs more help?" Peter asked, eager to join in the fun even if Peggy was happier to stay on the sidelines. She didn't have to consider his question for very long.

"Jubilee is like a one-woman team all of her own." As if on cue, Jean threw the ball only for it to be intercepted by Jubilee, who darted around the players until she arrived at the touchline and threw the ball down so hard it must've made a dent in the earth. Scott looked suitably appalled for someone who was playing against a team comprised of 5'2" Jubilee and two foreigners who'd only learned how to play an hour ago.

Peter hummed his agreement then began to shake off his jacket. Peggy had never seen him in fewer than three layers so it was quite strange to see him in just an old shirt. Peter even slipped off his goggles and earphones which he wore so often, you'd think they were glued to his head.

"Lemme show you how it should be done." He shot off across the field without a goodbye. Peggy had to narrow her eyes against the powerful whoosh of air that Peter left in his wake. It fluttered the pages of her book, reminding her of its presence by her feet. She thought about picking it up and continuing her reading but instead, Peggy closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the sky. The sunshine warmed her face, burning dark orange behind her closed eyelids.

She would be going home in a few weeks. Her parents had allowed her to stay on at the school for a little while so that she and her friends could have some fun but they wanted her home before the end of July. There was still plenty of time before she had to leave and it wasn't as if she was going to be gone for long, but Peggy still felt uneasy whenever she thought about it.

She knew she was being silly but she was going to miss her friends and the warmth of an American summer. It was raining back home, she'd already checked. Peggy opened her eyes again to find Kurt jogging over to her across the grass. He travelled a few meters before he seemed to remember his mutation and teleported to stand right in front of her. Kurt grinned down at her and Peggy chuckled in response.

"Whatever happened to 'cheaters never prosper', hm?" She teased, reaching out her hand for him to take. He clasped it in his own immediately, his large fingers encompassing hers completely.

"We do not have this expression in Germany." Kurt replied as he carefully pulled Peggy to her feet.

"Ah, I'll let you off then." She dusted off her trousers, checking for any mud smears or stray blades of grass. Happy with her appearance, Peggy gestured to their friends who had paused their game to get their breath back. "What's Jubilee's excuse?" Kurt should've known they wouldn't be able to get away with it, Peggy never missed anything. He was pleased to find she found their tactics amusing rather than unsportsmanlike. Kurt stooped down and picked up the book left lying on the ground.

"Whose side are you on?" He chuckled, flipping through the pages of 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' quickly so that the words blurred into black smudges. Peggy was reading it over the summer to get ahead of her English classes next year. He knew this because she'd been complaining about it for weeks, claiming she hated the book and wanted nothing to do with it.

When he suggested she leave it for a while and focus on the other books she needed to read, Peggy revealed that she'd already finished them all at least twice but still maintained that this book was the worst of the bunch, even on the third time around. Despite her complaining, Kurt was proud that his girlfriend was so smart. In fact, just being able to refer to Peggy as his girlfriend made him smile.

"I'm impartial." She shrugged and took the book from him when he offered it. She saw his expression and knew what he was going to ask. "I'm not on anyone's side." Kurt nodded, grateful for the definition. He repeated the word in his head a few times, cataloguing it with the thousands of foreign words he'd picked up during his stay in America.

"I thought you would be cheering me on." Kurt pretended to be offended then he began to smile, the corner of his mouth twitching into a mischievous grin. "You'd make a good cheerleader." Peggy raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah?"

"You'd look good in the outfit."

"Shut up."

"One of those little skirts..."

"You're an idiot." Peggy lightly punched his arm, shaking her head as she laughed. Kurt would be staying at the school over the summer holidays. He wouldn't be alone, though. Jubilee, Ororo, and Scott were all going to stay on at the Institute. Jean would be returning home to her family in New York and Peggy back to Dungloe. He was going to miss her terribly. They hadn't spent a day apart in all the time that they'd known each other and even though Peggy would only be gone for a few weeks, Kurt was dreading her departure.

"You look beautiful today." He murmured, very conscious of the fact that their friends weren't quite out of earshot. He wasn't embarrassed, in fact being with Peggy made him feel very confident. It was more the fact that if their friends overheard them, they would only giggle and poke fun at them for several hours before they got bored.

Despite this, the urge to kiss Peggy was irresistible. Kurt leaned forward, ignoring his friends who he knew were all watching, and bent his head. But Peggy placed her fingers over his lips, gently pushing him away. When Kurt frowned, obviously feeling quite confused, she grinned.

"Kisses are for winning teams." Kurt's expression softened and he began to laugh. Raising his hands in surrender, he stepped back, his tail swaying happily from side to side.

"Alles für dich, Peggy. Alles für dich." He laughed again then turned to hurry back to where their friends were starting up the game again. Peggy watched him go then looked down at her feet, gathering herself to sit back down in the long grass. Before she could settle, a hand found hers.

Peggy looked up and just caught Kurt's mischievous grin before he kissed her. Surprised, it took her a moment to respond but then she placed her hand on his cheek, smiling against his mouth. It was brief and sweet but when Kurt moved away, Peggy chased his lips, nowhere near done with him.

No matter how many times he kissed her, she was always left wanting more. Peggy knew she was his first everything but Kurt needed little in the way of tutoring. He was so attentive, so gentle and soft, it made her heart feel like it was going to burst.

Peggy often laid awake at night, tossing and turning, trying to figure out what made Kurt different. With her previous boyfriends, things escalated quickly and ended just as expeditiously as they began. But Kurt, he consumed her every waking thought and most of her dreams as well, though they had done little more than kiss.

Of course, she would love to do more with him and sometimes she felt that he wanted it too, but unlike the boys before him, Kurt didn't want to rush things, he was just happy being with her. Although this left them both tossing and turning at night for an entirely different reason.

They had little time by themselves but they didn't mind. Above all else, they were both determined to remain friends. This wasn't hard, Peggy and Kurt made each other laugh, teased each other relentlessly, and hung out every day, just the same as they had always done. Except now, when nobody was looking, Peggy could lean over and press kisses to Kurt's cheek and he could wrap his tail protectively around her waist, keeping her close to his side.

"Hey, no courtside canoodling!" Their friends hadn't noticed much of a change in their behaviour, they'd been waiting for them to get together for months, but they never missed an opportunity to embarrass them. Peggy sighed, closed her eyes for a moment, then looked around Kurt to address Peter, the one who had shouted at them from across the field.

"You don't play American football on a court!" She retorted, her hand absentmindedly sliding down from Kurt's cheek to rest over his heart. His face was tinged violet, both from the kiss and Peter's teasing. When Peggy dropped her hand, Kurt immediately missed her touch but refrained from stepping closer, not wanting to distract her from her argument.

"We just call it football." Scott said, grinning impishly. Peggy shrugged.

"Well, you're wrong."

"That's fighting talk, Margaret." At the use of her full name, her smile disappeared. Peggy loved her name and her namesake grandmother, but not so much when it was used against her. She narrowed her eyes at Scott, who she knew was just trying to get a rise out of her. A challenge she was more than willing to accept. Peggy dropped her book to the ground and marched onto the field.

"Kurt, teach me how to play."

* * *

They played for another hour. By then, they were all exhausted. Their little eclectic group collapsed in a heap, laughing and talking as the sky darkened above them. It was still relatively bright outside by the time evening fell and the temperature remained well above what Peggy would call comfortable, but they eventually rambled back up to the school.

As they tumbled through the door, making more noise than a group of kids should be able to make, Jean paused. She was completely still, her bright eyes fixed ahead of her. Then she blinked and relaxed as if nothing had happened. It was the Professor, she told them, he wanted to see them.

They longed for the comfort and quiet of the common room but knew better than to ignore their headmaster, so the kids changed direction, heading towards Xavier's office instead. When they arrived, Hank was already there to meet them. He greeted them all warmly, immediately putting their minds to rest. Usually the only reason they would all be called to the Professor's office was because of some awful catastrophe but Hank seemed cheerful.

They looked a strange bunch, all sweaty and grass-stained, amongst the polished mahogany and towering bookcases of Professor Xavier's office. He didn't seem to mind, in fact, he invited them to make themselves comfortable. The three chairs in front of the desk were filled in a blink by Peter, Ororo, and Jubilee, the fastest in the group. Those with slower reflexes had to find perches on the few remaining available surfaces.

"I thought you'd all want to know," The Professor began once they'd all settled. "That the CIA has caught the last member of The Purifiers." A hush washed over the room. Their smiles vanished, their bodies suddenly tensed. This was good news but the solemn topic deserved their full attention. "They should be tried and imprisoned by the end of the month."

"The trafficking ring that Carl ran has disbanded. There are, of course, still dregs of the organisation out there, some last loose ends to tie, but it's only a matter of time before the trouble can finally be put to rest." Hank explained, his voice quiet and level.

Peggy glanced over at Kurt to see how he was taking the news. His head was bowed, his gaze still. Of all of them, the Purifiers had caused him the most pain. They damaged the mall he loved so much, trapped him with an electric collar, hurt his friends, hurt him. But still Kurt smiled, despite what he had suffered.

Their crimes were immeasurable but the Purifiers were gone now and they could leave them in the past. As if he could feel her eyes on him, Kurt looked round and held her gaze. Peggy gave him a small smile, silently asking if he was alright. To her relief, Kurt returned it and she saw his tail twitch happily, just for good measure.

"I believe it is important for you all to understand that... There will always be another villain, another group of people, another tragedy. But that's why you're here, to combat that darkness, to keep it at bay for as long as possible." The Professor's voice was grave but they were heartened by his words.

It felt good to know they'd helped people, that they were a part of something good. Sometimes life grew clouded with homework and tests and clothes and music and more homework, they forgot that the X-Men actually made a significant difference in the world. Xavier smiled at his students. "You've all worked incredibly hard this year."

Peggy sensed Jean smirk beside her and had to push down a smile of her own. In terms of bringing down a terrorist organisation, she supposed they had worked quite hard, but when it came to their schoolwork, they'd all done an extraordinary amount of slacking off. They all seemed to be thinking along similar lines because Peggy saw Scott turn his head slightly, catching Jubilee's eye, and they shared the tiniest of smiles.

They all refocused when the Professor paused. Peggy was suddenly reminded of their headmaster's mutation but if he did read their minds and saw what was making them laugh, Xavier didn't show it. Instead, he smiled at his students again, meeting each of their gazes in turn.

"I don't say it enough but I am very proud of you all." Xavier said. His voice wasn't so much as soft, but quiet, thoughtful. For the first time, his students really listened to what he was saying and they took it to heart. They were all quite pleased to have made the Professor proud. Xavier considered them all for a moment then sat back in his chair, his smile gone. "Now, I have a new mission for you."

Beside him, Hank drew a stack of papers from a file. They could tell it was freshly printed, they could still smell the ink. "I need three of you to collect a boy from Kentucky who has exhibited the most extraordinary audial mutation." He placed his fingertips exactly at the top of the papers and pushed them forward towards his students. There was a photo of the boy at the top of the page, a short biography underneath. Xavier raised his eyebrows. "Any takers?"

While Ororo, Jubilee, and Peter stayed behind to receive their mission brief, the rest of the group ambled down the hall towards the main foyer. The day was slowly slipping away from them, easing from afternoon to evening with the heavy, slouching indolence of summer. It was now too late and too cold to sit outside or pick up another game, so it looked like they would have to regroup in the common room.

"It's not like you to pass on a mission." Scott said to Peggy as they rowdily roamed the halls. There was no one around to tell them not to run or to keep their voices down. Their teachers had all gone home for the summer too, only the Professor, Hank, and Mystique remained.

Peggy nodded faintly, too distracted by Jean and Kurt to listen to him properly. They were cartwheeling down the hall, trying to see who could do the most in a row. Kurt was winning, she thought, but then Jean stuck her foot out and tripped him, sending Kurt sprawling to the floor in a heap. He immediately sat up, laughing as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I would but I've got work." They stopped beside Kurt and she helped him to his feet. "We both do." Peggy added, nudging his side with her elbow. Scott was right, she rarely missed an opportunity to go on a team mission but it was Saturday and both Peggy and Kurt had other commitments. Scott pulled a face, quickly looking between his two friends.

"That's not a euphemism, is it?" He asked, immediately earning himself a punch from Peggy. Scott's evening plans were very exciting: listening to music and avoiding the summer reading he'd been assigned. Jean would probably join him after she'd finished her own work but Kurt and Peggy would be out until late doing good, honest work. She mentioned this to Scott and he gently pushed her, not appreciating her insinuation.

"Although," Peggy quirked her eyebrows at Kurt, ignoring Scott who was grinning at the pink in her cheeks. "That does sound more fun." It took Kurt a moment to realise what she was implying but when the penny dropped, so did his jaw. In fact, he tripped over his own feet, somehow defying his own natural grace. Peggy had a knack for that.

While their friends laughed, Peggy rushed to reassure him. "I'm kidding, Kurt. Don't worry." She felt a little bad for startling him but she couldn't help laughing at his expression. She squeezed his hand, giving Kurt a warm smile before she and Jean wandered into the common room, honing in on a couple of free sofas. Scott stayed with Kurt until he had collected himself, which took quite a few moments.

"Wow." Scott muttered.

"I know, right?"

* * *

They stayed in the common room for another hour or so before Kurt and Peggy begrudgingly had to leave. They might've been late if it weren't for Kurt's mutation but thankfully he teleported them both to the mall (after Peggy finished getting changed) with minutes to spare.

Peggy liked her job, the work wasn't too arduous and the pay was good, but she didn't like having to leave her friends every other evening. Still, it had its perks. She could see any film she liked for free and there was a constant supply of popcorn.

She and Kurt finally saw 'Temple of Doom' one night and it was worth the wait. Peggy leaned her head against his shoulder the whole time and at one point, Kurt was even brave enough to slip an arm around her shoulders, his tail bashfully wrapping around her ankle. Although, after all that waiting, they missed several parts of the movie as they had done a quite a lot of making out.

Peggy smiled faintly at the memory. She was stood at the entrance to screen four, plastic bin bag in hand and uniform hat pulled low over her eyes so as not to distract the customers from the film that was slowly drawing to a close. She had to stay as still as possible, being careful not to fidget or rustle the bag.

This wasn't hard to do that night, the film they were screening was particularly interesting and she was thoroughly invested despite only having caught the last ten minutes. The doors to the screen opened behind her, casting angular light across the murky carpet before it swished shut again.

It was Sam, her colleague and possible friend. He was okay, a bit dull and little more interested in picking his nose than Peggy thought was polite, but nice enough. He was maybe a year or two older than her but didn't act it. He leaned against the wall opposite her and gave Peggy a nod before tilting his head to the screen.

Not long after, the credits rolled and the customers slowly filtered out. Some chucked drink cups and popcorn buckets into their open bin bags but most just left their rubbish scattered across the seats for them to collect. The lights rose slowly then all at once, illuminating the room to help them clear up.

"Good soundtrack." Peggy said, pushing herself away from the wall and trudging up the carpeted steps to the first row of seats. As she bent down to gather a collection of sweet wrappers into her bag, she heard Sam reply,

"Yeah, but the ending..." Peggy thought the ending was actually quite good but she couldn't be bothered to argue when she had a handful of someone else's chewing gum. They finished clearing the screen fairly quickly, after a while you got into a rhythm for these things.

Sam and Peggy disposed of their rubbish then headed off to the next screen that was about to be vacated. "Hey, what time do you get off?" He asked as they trailed down to screen eight. Peggy saw him scratch his sandy hair, then the back of his neck like he was nervous. She glanced at her watch and was relieved to see that her shift was almost over.

"Five minutes. Why?"

"You wanna get dinner?" Peggy wasn't really surprised by his proposal, he'd been looking at her funny for weeks now and Em at the front desk had told her she suspected he was going to ask her out. Peggy gave him a thin smile, trying not to think about Sam's sweaty hands and cracked lips, and politely turned him down.

"Sorry, I've got plans."

* * *

Across the mall in a tiny, dark record shop, Kurt had just finished labelling the new stock that had come in that evening, ready for tomorrow's early morning rush. He sighed and stood back to admire his handiwork. The damage the mall suffered had been relatively minimal, it reopened only a few weeks after the attack. There was still a forest of scaffolding around the hole in the wall and a considerable amount of hammering and drilling, but life in the mall went on as usual.

As Peggy suggested, Kurt went to see Francisco about a job in his store. He immediately accepted, Kurt was one of his best customers and he needed the help, it was just him at the moment and maybe his daughter if she had the time. Kurt loved his job. It didn't pay all that much, only what Francisco could afford, but he was surrounded by music and there was nothing better than that.

"Frank?" Kurt called to his boss. Francisco looked up from his newspaper, squinting at Kurt from across the gloomy store. He raised his hand, shaking his wrist, and Francisco immediately understood.

"Yeah, you can go." It had long passed the hour, he'd be closing the shop soon. Kurt ran to the back of the shop to grab his jacket then hurried to the door. "See you tomorrow, Kurt." Francisco said, just as he was rocketing out of the door. Kurt didn't stop, though he did flash a grin over his shoulder as he left.

"See you!" He hurried along the ground floor, dodging around the last few remaining shoppers who had probably just come out of the cinema since all the stores were closing. He reached the foot of the stairway, twisting his head around to try and spot Peggy. At last he saw her coming down the escalator.

She looked tired as she ran a hand through her hair, tucking her work hat into the bag hanging from her shoulder. Kurt grinned at the sight of her and the popcorn she'd brought him. "If it isn't the most beautiful girl in the world." He called, catching Peggy's attention. She playfully glowered at him as she walked over, shaking her head at his ridiculous grin.

"Shut up." Peggy laughed, placing the bucket of popcorn into his eager hands. She got a lot of free food from work, most of it went to Kurt. He kissed her cheek by way of a thank you and tucked in as they made their way towards the exit. He could teleport them home in a matter of seconds but they always liked to walk outside before they left, it gave them time to talk and to just be together without fear of interruption.

"I love your job." Kurt said through a mouthful of popcorn. Peggy chuckled when he dropped a few pieces in his eagerness. From the way he devoured his food, you'd think they never fed him.

"How's Francisco?" She asked, stooping down to collect the popcorn he'd dropped and tossing the kernels into a nearby bin. Peggy brushed off her hands then grabbed a handful for herself despite Kurt's protestations.

"Good. He asked about you."

"Really? What did he ask?"

"Just how you are and how you did on your English paper." When Peggy raised her eyebrows, Kurt looked away. He smiled sheepishly into his popcorn. "I talk about you... A lot." Peggy began to smile, small at first but soon her face was brightened by an enormous grin, unable to contain how pleased she was. Kurt watched as she ducked her head, trying to hide her deep red blush. He didn't know why she was so surprised, he couldn't be more proud of Peggy and would rattle on about her to anyone who would listen.

"Don't bore that poor man with the highs and lows of my academic career." She said once she'd got her face back under control. Kurt let her steal some more popcorn before he replied.

"What lows? You're a straight A student." Again, Peggy began to blush but she recovered quickly. When she didn't respond, Kurt shook his head, grinning to himself. "I can't believe my girlfriend is such a nerd." Peggy narrowed her eyes, her nose scrunching up the way it always did when she was determined not to laugh at something he said. She reached into her bag and pulled out a rolled up sheet of card, held in place by one of her hairbands.

"S'pose you don't want this then?" Peggy waggled the poster at arm's length, out of reach of even Kurt's gangly arms.

"I take it back." He said hastily and Peggy, quick to forgive, handed him the poster she'd swiped. Kurt carefully unrolled it, stopping their gentle meander to see what she'd snaffled for him. It was a poster for 'Footloose', a film Kurt loved. He hadn't stopped talking about its soundtrack since it came out. Peggy saw the poster lying in the storeroom, unloved and unwanted. She knew no one would mind if she took it home and Kurt's walls were looking a little bare.

He rolled it up again as if it were a precious, ancient document, being careful to keep his long nails away from the card. Peggy took it back and slipped it into her bag so he didn't have to carry it. As she turned her head, something caught her eye. With a grin, she looked up at Kurt.

"Do you wanna do something cheesy and cliché that will undoubtedly make the others take the piss out of us?" Kurt didn't even blink.

"Of course." She took him by the hand and half dragged him over to the edge of the mall where a squat, grey machine sat, brimming with fluorescent light. A photo booth, tucked away between two tall, faux potted plants.

Peggy urged Kurt inside first, sweeping aside the lush blue curtain to reveal the tiny space within. Before Kurt had time to be embarrassed, Peggy guided him to the seat and settled herself in his lap. There was probably enough space for them to sit side by side, but when this was the alternative, neither was likely to protest.

While Peggy thumbed a couple of coins into the slot in front of them, Kurt tried to get comfortable, but not too comfortable. Peggy leaned back again when she was finished paying and his hands immediately found her waist to stop her from slipping off and to try and keep her still. If she wriggled around too much, Kurt didn't think he'd survive the humiliation.

The photo booth hummed to itself as it prepared to take their picture and they jostled about, trying to make themselves look presentable. The first flash took Kurt by surprise. He blinked, once, twice, trying to clear the squares of white from his vision. Peggy laughed at the look on his face and the next picture was taken, the pair of them looking at each other with honest, open adoration.

Kurt gazed up at Peggy, his lips curled into a soft smile and then suddenly, she was kissing him. Her hand slipped round the curve of his jaw, keeping him close as her mouth moved against his. There was hardly any room in the booth, so Peggy was pressed tight against him. She was so warm and soft, he could barely think straight. Kurt's grip tightened on her waist as the camera flashed again but they barely noticed it.

There was a loud knock on the outside of the booth. Someone else was waiting to have their picture taken. Peggy reluctantly slipped off Kurt's lap and out of the booth. He followed after a moment, needing a few seconds to collect himself before he could move. Peggy smiled brightly at the exasperated old man who was waiting to use the booth then grabbed their photographs.

She took Kurt's hand and led him towards the exit. He threw a quick apology over his shoulder to the man but he merely sighed, shook his head, and stepped into the photo booth. They giggled as they hurried towards the exit, earning themselves a dark look from the security guard on duty.

"I'm glad to have more pictures of you, I don't have nearly enough." Kurt said, looking through the photos they'd taken. The first two were nice, they looked quite good next to each other, but the last two, he could hardly believe he was looking at himself. Kurt never expected to find someone when he moved to America, and after they met, he hardly dared to dream that Peggy might like him back, let alone kiss him with such passion that he could practically feel it seeping out of the photo.

"I'll take some for you." Peggy took them from him and carefully tore the square in two so that they each had a photo of them smiling and one of them kissing. Kurt raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, really?" Peggy heard the mischief in his voice and turned to see him grinning at her. She tutted and gently pushed him, knocking him off course until he fell back into step beside her.

"You've spent too much time with Peter." She muttered, making Kurt laugh. They stepped outside into the darkness. It stayed light for longer in the summer but it was late and they had only the pinprick street lamps to guide them as they exited the mall. It was a warm night but a breeze rustled the trees, making Peggy pull her jacket closer. "Did you finish that book, by the way?" She asked, the thought suddenly occurring to her out of the blue. Kurt nodded enthusiastically.

"I did!"

"And?"

"I liked it." He pulled a face, tilting his head from side to side. "There was quite a lot of talking where there could have been sword fighting, but overall it was very good."

"Not enough sword fighting, eh?" Kurt stopped and looked around to make sure no one was watching them. They were alone in the car park but he kept alert, just in case. He didn't like to teleport when there were people around, especially not at night. He didn't know who could be watching. Kurt never used to be so wary but their run-ins with Carl had shaken his confidence.

"Maybe I'll write to the author and suggest she put more of it in her next book." He said, thinking aloud as he took Peggy's hand. She grimaced, preparing for take-off. She still hadn't got used to teleporting and dreaded the impending queasiness, the price she had to pay for the most effective way to travel.

"I'm sure Jane Austen will appreciate your letter."

They vanished in a flash, startling a few pigeons minding their own business nearby, but no one else saw them leave. They arrived with a bang. Peggy stumbled, she always forgot to bend her knees despite Kurt's warnings. Fortunately, he caught her before she could fall but her pride was a little bruised even if she wasn't.

The halls were strangely quiet now that most of the students had gone home. Peggy estimated there were around thirty or so kids still in the building, but it was late and they were probably all up in their rooms. Kurt never brought her up to the top floor, they always reappeared in the main foyer of the mansion. It was just another excuse to spend more time with each other, although Peggy secretly begrudged having to walk up all those stairs.

"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" Kurt asked as they began to make their way through the mansion. Despite the emptiness of the school, he kept his voice low.

"My plan was to laze around all day." Peggy said, stepping around a floorboard with an infamously loud creak.

"That sounds good to me." Kurt nodded. "Francisco gave me a good discount on my new speaker. We could set it up and lie in bed all day? Just you and me, ja?" Peggy pictured it, just the two of them in the warmth of the summer sun, music lilting around the room, and her hand in his.

"Perfect." Kurt looked thoroughly pleased, maybe even a little taken-aback. Even after all they'd been through and all that they'd said to each other, he was still astonished whenever Peggy wanted to spend time with him. Some small part of him couldn't quite believe that she was his girlfriend, that she cared about him just as much as he cared about her. He'd have to fix that, he thought.

"I'll even let you read me one of your swashbucklingless books." Kurt said, making Peggy snort and look up at him incredulously.

"You know 'swashbuckling' but you forgot the word for 'cat'?"

"We can't all be as smart as you, leibling."

"You think I'm smart?" Peggy grinned, pleased by the compliment but mostly just set on teasing him. Kurt nodded seriously.

"Of course. You're the cleverest person I know." Peggy paused mid-step, her eyes fractionally wider. Kurt was confused and wondered if he'd said something wrong, but then she spoke again and his heart started hammering for an entirely different reason.

"Kurt," She said, her voice soft and low. "I know this wasn't your intention, but you're really starting to turn me on." She was only joking really, curious to see what kind of reaction she'd get. Although, Peggy supposed, she did quite like the compliment and for some reason, knowing Kurt regarded her so highly was a bit, what, hot? Peggy smiled at the expression on Kurt's face, a muddle of shock, bewilderment, and, to her relief, desire. He studied her a moment and Peggy decided he was trying to figure out if she was joking or not. Then he began to smile too.

"Do you think the others are back yet?" Kurt asked quietly. Peggy shrugged.

"Probably not."

"Brilliant." He suddenly took her by the hand and pulled her into the common room. The room was dark and thankfully empty, but that was all Peggy managed to take in before Kurt pushed her against the wall. She usually would've enjoyed this particular manoeuvre, especially because Kurt was always so gentle with her, like she was made of fine china, but he'd taken her by surprise. Peggy bumped her head against the wall, not hard, but enough to make her wince.

"Ow!" She swore for a bit, rubbing the back of her head while Kurt apologised at a hundred miles an hour.

"Oh, mein Gott! Oh, mein Gott, Peggy!" The rough side of him was gone, all his bravado as fleeting as she'd expected from such a sweet boy. He put his hands on either side of her face, pulling her close so he could inspect the damage done. "I'm sorry! Please, forgive me. Are you alright? Are you hurt? Show me." Peggy laughed at his panic but they didn't want to attract attention to themselves, so she quickly tried to calm him down.

"Kurt, it's okay, it's alright." She peeled his hands away from her face and smiled to show she wasn't hurt at all. "You've been working out, eh?" Kurt paused his fussing but only to scowl at her.

"This is not the time." He muttered before reaching for her face again, trying to see if he'd hurt her in any way. Peggy scoffed and batted his hands away, trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"I'm fine." She insisted. Only then did Kurt's worried expression soften. Peggy tilted her head to the side, her gaze drifting down to his mouth then back up again to meet his eyes, her bottom lip between her teeth. Kurt's shirt collar felt a little tight but he resisted tugging at it. "Now," Peggy said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Please continue." His worry gone now, Kurt beamed at her before ducking his head and kissing her.

He was tentative at first, as if he was still nervous about hurting her, but Peggy never did anything by halves. She pulled him closer, grabbing him by the sides of his jacket until there was no space between them. Kurt could feel her body melting into his and barely held back a groan, his brow furrowing as he tried to stay calm.

He broke away to catch his breath, placing soft, fleeting kisses across her forehead, her cheeks, and one on the tip of her nose. Peggy hummed happily and pulled him back for more, the world fading away to nothing around them. All that mattered was him.

Peggy carefully slid her tongue across Kurt's bottom lip, curious to see his what his reaction would be. She didn't want to scare him off, but to her surprise, Kurt moaned and returned the gesture. She could feel his heart thudding beneath her palm as she smoothed one hand up his chest. Was he nervous? He had no reason to be, he was doing pretty damn well. Perhaps he was just excited, he was certainly very eager.

His mouth moved against hers like he was desperate for this. Every inch of him exuded confidence until suddenly, it didn't. His hands on her waist tightened, faltering, afraid to go further. Peggy knew he wanted to touch her but it seemed his confidence had run out. Peggy pulled away so she could look him in the eye, silently asking what was wrong. Kurt smiled bashfully back at her, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious.

"You'll have to show me." He murmured, gesturing nervously with his hands. Ah, right. Peggy understood. She kissed him again, slow and loving, reassuring him that he had nothing to be nervous about.

"It'd be an honour and a privilege." Peggy whispered close to his ear, pressing her lips against his neck as she pulled away. Her kisses felt seared into his skin, a lasting reminder of her affection for him.

"I was hoping you would say 'it'd be my pleasure' and then I could make a joke." Kurt mumbled, determined not to sound as anxious as he felt. Peggy shook her head slightly then grabbed his wrists, placing them just above her hips.

"Tip number one: there's usually not this much talking, smart aleck." She leaned back against the wall so that he could see what she was doing then slowly guided his hands upwards so that the flats of his palms smoothed over her stomach until they reached her breasts. Kurt opened his mouth, to say what, he didn't know, but then Peggy brought his hands up until they smoothed over the swell of her breasts and squeezed gently.

Well, that just about did it for poor Kurt. He probably would've fainted right there if Peggy hadn't distracted him with a hard kiss, keeping his hands in place with her own until she was sure he was alright. Then she ran her fingers through his hair, tugging on his curls in the way she knew he liked. Kurt could hardly think straight but he felt the need to keep up their conversation despite their position.

"I thought you liked it when I'm a smart aleck?" He gasped out between kisses. "You think it's sexy." Peggy pulled away just far enough to frown at him.

"What? How do you..." Her expression relaxed into realisation before she could even finish her sentence. "I'm going to kill Jean." Kurt chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment. Here he was, pressed against his wonderful girlfriend in the dark, laughing happily in this, his new home.

"Later." Kurt said eventually, slipping his hands down her sides and round to her back, tracing his fingertip in circles by the bottom of her spine. "I'm having far too much fun for you to go anywhere." Peggy grinned and vowed not to say another word to interrupt the moment. Kurt bent his head to kiss her again but froze when a familiar voice broke the peace and quiet of the empty common room.

"Hey, guys." Said Scott, pretending he hadn't noticed their compromising position. "I didn't know you were back." The lights flickered on above their heads, illuminating the room and exposing their position. Peggy and Kurt squinted at Scott as their eyes adjusted to the brightness. They were too surprised to move. No one said anything, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Scott didn't seem shocked to find them there, nothing about Kurt and Peggy surprised him anymore. He and the others were all coming down to hang out since Jubilee, Peter, and Ororo had just arrived back from their (successful) mission. They were all pretty tired so the warm fire and squashy sofas of the common room were the ideal setting for a late-night get together. Scott was the first to arrive when he thought he heard something in the common room. He couldn't wait to tell his friends what he'd found.

Only when Scott pointedly cleared his throat did they realise they were still entangled. Kurt apologised quickly, to who or for what reason, none of them knew, including himself. He took a step back, his hand nervously clutching the opposite elbow. Peggy wasn't so easily embarrassed but she did give Scott a sheepish grin as she pushed herself away from the wall, straightening out her shirt as she went. Scott snorted and shook his head.

"C'mon, kids. It's family time. You can make out later." He said, walking past them to a group of sofas near the fireplace. As if by magic, Jubilee suddenly appeared in the doorway and shot past them to claim the best seat. Peggy was very glad that Scott found them when he did, rather than the whole group walking in with Kurt's hands on her- Well, it didn't bear thinking about really. Peggy turned to Kurt and tapped his chest lightly with her index finger.

"We can and we will." She said firmly, then turned to join their friends. Kurt could only grin and follow her, completely lost for words.

They stayed in the common room until all the lights in the rest of the mansion went out. They would've stayed for longer but soon enough, Ros came along with her dreaded evil eye and told them they ought to be in bed. No one had the guts to argue with the wizened old lady and they promptly left the room.

As always, they dispersed on the stairs. Ororo's room was on the bottom floor (which meant she always got the best food at breakfast) while Jubilee and Jean were on the third. Scott was too tired to notice when Kurt didn't accompany him on the short walk along the second floor, he just slipped into his room and collapsed onto his bed, not even bothering to remove his glasses.

They were about halfway up the third flight of stairs when Kurt took Peggy's hand and teleported them up to her room. She hadn't expected it but Peggy thought it was very sweet considering how tired he looked. She remembered to bend her knees this time, not wanting to repeat her earlier, much more unsteady landing.

Kurt was happy to go back downstairs after that but Peggy gestured for him to follow her inside and he did so without a second thought. He sank down onto her bed, leaning back against the wall while she got changed into her pyjamas. Peggy smiled when she saw Kurt looking away, ever the gentlemen.

They chatted quietly whilst she got ready for bed, not wanting to disturb anyone who might be asleep nearby, and when Peggy was done, Kurt got off the bed and kissed her goodnight. It was short and sweet, nothing like their ardent kisses in the common room, but when Kurt pulled away, he was smiling softly and it warmed her heart.

He said goodnight quietly, exhaustion making his voice low and deep, his accent heavy. Peggy rather liked it. Kurt turned to leave, squeezing her hand one last time, but she called after him just as he was about to disappear.

"Kurt?" He stopped, looking at her curiously. Peggy bit her lip, suddenly feeling very nervous. There was nothing she couldn't tell him, no secret she couldn't trust him with. She was never embarrassed around Kurt, but still Peggy felt her stomach beginning to twist into knots at the thought of asking what she wanted to ask him. She hunched her shoulders a little, feeling nine different kinds of awkward. "You don't have to go." Peggy's gaze darted to the bed then back to him, betraying her nerves. "I mean, you could... Stay."

Peggy was exhausted, she'd had a long day and work was hard. All she wanted at that moment was sleep and tonight, she wanted to sleep beside Kurt. She wasn't sure why, but he made her feel calm and he was always so warm, the thought of him lying beside her was very appealing. Of course, it was all completely innocent, just sleeping, nothing more, but Peggy was worried Kurt might get the wrong idea and think they were moving too fast. Fortunately, he smiled and her thrumming heart slowed.

"Really?" He was clearly surprised by the offer. He seemed to brighten, like he was suddenly a little more awake. When Peggy nodded, Kurt grinned and raised one long finger. "One second." Then he disappeared with a loud **BAMF**.

Peggy was a little stunned, both by his sudden disappearance and by the fact that he'd actually agreed to stay. She stared at the space he'd just vacated then hurried to her bed, throwing aside the duvet and pulling out all the rubbish that lay within. Her deodorant, two pairs of underwear, a hairbrush, and her French textbook were just some of the items that had snuck their way into her covers when Peggy had been looking for something else in her pigsty of a room.

She'd just settled down beneath the duvet when Kurt reappeared. She grinned at the sight of him in his pyjamas. He lifted just the corner of the covers, as if he was asking for permission. When Peggy pulled them back for him, Kurt carefully clambered in beside her. They jostled about for a moment, giggling like idiots as they wriggled around trying to get comfy. There wasn't much room in Peggy's single bed and though they shared a pillow, they stayed at opposite sides of the mattress, not daring to touch each other. They were silent for a while, just watching each other nervously. Then Kurt cracked a grin.

"This is weird." Peggy barely held back her sigh of relief.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." She agreed, very glad that it wasn't just her who was tense. Kurt chuckled and edged a little closer, still not touching her but close enough that Peggy could feel some of the warmth coming off of him.

"But good." His strange eyes were dulled by exhaustion but still they glowed, striking scarlet against the dark blue of his skin. Peggy could hardly look away. "It's definitely good." Peggy smiled and decided to be brave. She shuffled closer and kissed him softly, her lips barely ghosting across his.

"Night, Kurt." She whispered. He was quiet for a moment, then Kurt reached one of his long arms across her waist and pulled her close to him, tucking her head underneath his chin.

"Night, Peggy." She was surprised by his bravery but didn't say anything, she just closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of lying in Kurt's arms. They lay there happily, listening to the slow in and out of each other's breathing as they slipped off to asleep. At one point, Kurt wrapped his tail around her calf, a comfort to both of them. She couldn't imagine ever feeling more comfortable or safe than in that moment, but just as Peggy was about to drift off completely, she cracked an eye open and grimaced up at the ceiling.

"You forgot to turn off the light."

"Damn it."

* * *

1\. All for you, Peggy, all for you


	15. Chapter 15

There were flags _everywhere_. You couldn't walk five steps without another splash of red, white, and blue. Some fell like waterfalls over banisters, others wafted in doorways, while every ceiling was framed by streamers. Jubilee was a diligent worker.

The mansion was a big place but somehow, she'd managed to hang the Star Spangled Banner from every available surface. She had to get up pretty early and it took her most of the morning, but Jubilee could not be more proud of a job well done. Of course, she had a little help.

Though he didn't actually volunteer, Scott was roped in the moment he walked in on her balancing on top of two coffee tables, trying to staple a flag across the windows in the common room. He complained at first but quickly found himself getting into the Fourth of July spirit when Jubilee offered him five dollars for his assistance. From the front hall to the cafeteria, the common room and the grand staircase, everything had either been tangled in flags or sprinkled with confetti.

There were still thirty or so kids left in the mansion but it felt like only a handful in comparison to the term time traffic. The Professor had organised a small party for them all, one last hurrah before the summer holidays truly began. There would be a barbecue and fireworks, the key ingredients to any Fourth of July get-together. Xavier had put Jubilee in charge of decorations as she did such a great job last year. She'd certainly outdone herself, Jubilee really lived up to her name.

Scott held the ladder tight as she clambered back down, not being the least bit careful despite being seven feet off the ground. Jubilee jumped off the penultimate step then stood back to admire her work. The colourful banner she'd stretched from one corner of the main doorway to the other was the pièce de résistance. Scott smiled up at it, quite impressed despite himself. He glanced around at the foyer, trying to count the stars and failing.

"Do you think you've got enough decorations?" He asked, turning back to Jubilee with a smirk. To his horror, she looked like was actually considering it so Scott quickly intervened. "Jubilee, no." She deflated, giving him a look, but quickly bounced back.

"I can't wait to get started." Jubilee gazed around at all her hard work with a proud little smile. Independence Day was her favourite holiday and she would be spending it with her favourite people. They were going to have so much fun, the thought made a little bubble of excitement rise in her chest. "Is everyone up?" Scott just about managed to safely fold down the ladder, although he was fairly certain he'd made a dent in the wall. He hoped the Professor wouldn't notice.

"Almost everyone."

* * *

"Wake up!" Peggy's eyes flew open. Something heavy landed on her with so much force that it winded her. Not something, someone. "Peggy! Wake up!" It was Jubilee, her hands on either of her shoulders, shaking her into consciousness. Peggy stared up at her, so shocked that she momentarily forgot where she was.

"What the _fuck_?" Jubilee ignored Peggy and continued to poke and prod her, far too excited to care about her heartrate.

"Get up! It's the Fourth of July!" Peggy finally snapped into consciousness and closed her eyes again, shaking her head.

"Jubilee, no." She groaned, rolling over onto her front and burying herself under the covers. Jubilee somehow managed to keep her seat on top of Peggy, not put off by her unenthusiastic response.

"C'mon, you gotta get up!" She tried tugging down the edge of the duvet but Peggy's grip was tight and she remained buried. "We're gonna dance and wear dumb clothes and wave sparklers and there's gonna be a barbecue. Oh!" Jubilee suddenly remembered the best part of all. "And fireworks!" A hand slipped out from under the covers and pulled them aside to reveal Peggy, sleepy but intrigued.

"Fireworks?" When Jubilee nodded, she emerged from the safety and warmth of her duvet. "Okay, okay." Jubilee finally clambered off but only to grab something from the floor.

"Wear this." She threw her gift in Peggy's direction just as she sat up. Whatever it was slapped her in the face, making the world go dark for a second. Peggy sighed deeply and pulled the material away to find that it was an American flag tank top. She stared at it, then Jubilee, then the shirt again.

"But I'm not American." She said after Jubilee didn't try to explain herself.

"Doesn't matter!" She shrugged, grinning happily. "Everyone's an American today! The earth is America!" Peggy rolled her eyes, pulled the covers back and stretched.

"And you guys wonder why you don't get on well with the rest of the world." She muttered, grunting when her spine cracked in several places. Jubilee clicked her tongue in irritation.

"Shut up. There are no bad vibes on America's birthday." Peggy got up, grumbling all the way, and wandered over to her chest of drawers to grab some clothes. Jubilee watched her for a moment, still highly amused. "God, make your bed, you animal." Peggy gave her a scathing glare, brandishing the shirt Jubilee had given her.

"I will wear your ridiculous T-shirt out of respect but I will not make my bed." It was a chore that Peggy always skipped, she didn't think it was at all necessary. Her room was a mess and in need of a tidy, yes, but her bed was her sanctuary. Jubilee scoffed and turned to leave but paused when she glanced at the bed again.

"You and Kurt have fun?" Jubilee guessed, nodding towards her sheets which had come untucked, only just visible under her mountain of covers. Peggy's eyes grew wide, suddenly feeling a lot more awake.

"I think I must twist and turn in my sleep." She muttered, turning away to dig through her drawer, hiding her flushed cheeks. She and Kurt had done nothing more than sleep in her bed but Peggy couldn't help being embarrassed by her implication.

"Uh huh, sure." Jubilee snorted, not at all convinced. Peggy rolled her eyes and gently pushed her towards the door.

"Go away." Despite her excitement, Jubilee did leave to let her get changed. Peggy waited until the door clicked shut to hurry over to her bed and straighten out the sheets. She didn't want to invite any more comments about her and Kurt that she wouldn't be able to deny because she was too busy blushing.

 **BAMF**. Perfect timing as always, Kurt chose then to suddenly appear in her bedroom. He tried to land as close to the door as possible, he didn't want to waste time knocking but he also didn't want to surprise Peggy with his sudden arrival.

"Good morning, schön!" His cheery greeting was warped by a long yawn. It was late morning and he'd already been up for a few hours but Kurt hadn't slept well, he'd been far too excited about the day's festivities. When he saw Peggy desperately scrabbling at her bedsheet, his smile faded into a smirk. "What's going on?"

"Ask Jubilee." Peggy managed to hook the last corner of her sheet over her mattress then sat back, blowing her hair out of her eyes with a sharp upward breath. Finally, she looked up at him. "No, actually, don't." She said, pointing a finger at him. Kurt blinked, confused but too tired to question her.

"Okay." He said, trying not to think too much about what they might've discussed that had made Peggy look so flustered. She got to her feet and grabbed her clothes from the foot of her bed. Peggy grimaced when she remembered the garish shirt Jubilee had given her but knew she wouldn't get out of wearing it. Then she noticed that Kurt was wearing one that was suspiciously similar.

"Hey, we match!" Peggy raised her shirt for him to see. Jubilee must have bought them all the same top, which was quite sweet of her really, even if Peggy didn't think she and Kurt had been together nearly long enough to start wearing matching outfits. Hopefully, Scott and Jean had also been roped in, otherwise the teasing would be unbearable.

"They're sehr festive." Kurt murmured, pulling at the hem of his shirt and looking down at the broad red and white stripes he was stuck with for the rest of the day.

"You can say that again." Peggy looked him up and down quickly. Though the shirt would take some getting used to, it was nice to get a full view of Kurt's long, gangly yet toned arms. She'd have to remember to thank Jubilee later. She saw Kurt smile and knew he'd caught her staring. Peggy cleared her throat and quickly changed the subject, determined not to blush. "You excited about the barbecue?"

"I'm more excited about the fireworks." Kurt glanced towards the window. In just a few hours' time, they would all be out on the grass, heads tilted to the skies. He grinned at the thought. "I haven't seen them in many years." Peggy smiled as she walked over to her little radio.

"Don't worry," she said, switching it on and rolling her eyes when a song she didn't like began to play. "Jubilee is like the spirit of independence, you're not gonna miss a thing." Peggy left the radio and reached up to give Kurt a quick, chaste kiss. He smiled, it felt so natural, so domestic. Peggy nodded towards her bathroom door. "I'm gonna have a quick shower."

"Oh, I'll see you downstairs then." Kurt immediately turned to leave. He was more than happy to give Peggy her privacy but before he could get too far, she said,

"No, it's okay, I'll only be a few minutes." Kurt was about to protest, he didn't want Peggy to be uncomfortable, but before he could even open his mouth, she winked at him and disappeared into the bathroom. Kurt remembered the last time they'd been a situation similar to this one. Peggy stood there, dripping wet in nothing but a towel and didn't bat an eyelid. He was the embarrassed one, not her. Kurt sat down on the bed, defeated.

He heard the familiar squeak of the old taps then rushing water. Their bathrooms were all as old as the mansion itself but the showers were thankfully quite new. Although, running out of hot water was a frequent and hotly-contested problem in a house with a thousand inhabitants. Hank was working on it. Kurt heard Peggy muttering to herself as she padded around the bathroom and it made him smile. "Oh, I meant to tell you, my parents are gonna give me a ring later."

"A ring?" Kurt repeated, not sure what that meant.

"A phone call." Peggy had to raise her voice over the sound of the water. Kurt did a double-take when he realised that she was talking to him from the shower but the bathroom door was open. If he craned his neck, he could see her moving around behind the curtain. Kurt groaned and looked away, trying to think of _literally anything else_. "They want me home by the end of the week." Peggy continued, the words leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

Kurt's face fell. He knew Peggy would have to go home soon but it still hurt to think about it. When she didn't get a reply, Peggy ducked her head around the shower curtain, trying to see him through the crack in the door. "Kurt?" She couldn't quite see him but she heard the sad smile in his voice.

"I'll miss you." He said softly, looking down at his feet. Peggy sighed, shaking her head as she stepped back under the water.

"I'll only be gone a month." She tried to be reasonable. "You'll hardly notice I'm gone." Peggy would be back on 1st September, just in time for the start of school. It wasn't like they were never going to see each other again but even she could admit the thought of leaving hurt.

Peggy stuck her head around the shower curtain again and just about managed to catch Kurt's eyes through the open door. "I'll miss you too." She said, giving him a sad sort of smile. Kurt smiled back then remembered that she was naked and looked away blushing. Peggy scoffed but stepped back for his sake.

"Why are they calling?" Kurt asked, wincing when his voice cracked. He was relieved Peggy didn't hear it, she'd only tease him. He wasn't as naïve as everyone thought but Kurt had been trying to keep his cool around Peggy for months and he wasn't about to break now. He began to hum along to the radio when they played a song he liked, mostly just to stop himself thinking about what Peggy might look like in the shower.

"Just to catch up and go over the flights and everything. Do you wanna talk to them?" Kurt frowned.

"What would I say?"

"I dunno, introduce yourself?" Peggy laughed. "Hallo, my name is Kurt Wagner and I'm the one snogging your daughter." She said, mimicking him faultlessly. Kurt never could get used to hearing his own voice coming from someone else but Peggy didn't use that particular mutation often. She knew it made people uncomfortable, she only did it when she was making a joke.

"Peggy..."

"Oh, and I'm blue, by the way."

"Peggy." Kurt groaned, cringing at the thought of speaking to her parents. He was sure Martin and Jill Murphy were lovely people but they were his girlfriend's parents and naturally a formidable pair. Peggy stepped out of the shower and began to get dressed, forgetting that the door was open. Kurt closed his eyes, silently begging God to give him a break.

"They probably won't mind, you know." Peggy added quickly, just in case he was worried about their reaction to his appearance. "They'd probably be too caught up on the fact that you're German."

"What, really?" Kurt heard her laugh and his shoulders relaxed.

"No, you muppet." Peggy said fondly, towelling her hair dry in the mirror. "They'd think you were sweet as." Kurt smiled to himself, quite pleased to know he would have her parents' approval. Peggy finished putting her make-up on then stepped out of the bathroom, decked out in full stars and stripes just as Jubilee wanted. "Right, ready?"

"Let's go."

They wandered down the stairs together, growing slowly more and more bewildered by the barrage of flags that greeted them. Peggy had never seen anything like it. They found their friends in the foyer, basking in the sunshine that spilled through the open door. A gentle breeze cooled their flushed faces, the result of a productive morning. When Jubilee spotted them approaching, she waved wildly.

"C'mon you two. We've got the last decorations to put up!"

"There's more?" Scott groaned, worn out from all the work he'd done that morning. Peggy gestured to the flags that surrounded them and then their matching shirts.

"Jubilee, we know what country we're in, do you really think we-"

"All in favour of the foreigners not having an opinion on how many decorations we put up say 'aye'." Jubilee cut in.

"Aye." She, Scott, and Jean, raised their hands, not because they wanted to put up more decorations but because they wanted to antagonise Peggy. She scoffed, rolling her eyes at Kurt but he only laughed.

"That's just plain rude."

"So, what's the plan?" He asked Jubilee, who seemed to be the one in charge. Kurt had very much enjoyed last year's Fourth of July celebrations and he was excited to find out what his friends had in store for him this time. Jubilee grinned and nodded her head in the direction of the barbecue.

"First, food."

They put up the last few streamers under Jubilee's watchful eye then found Ororo and meandered over to the barbecue as a group. Hank looked a little flustered, he wasn't much of a cook but he was trying his best. Once they'd grabbed some food, they hurried over to their spot under their tree before any of the other kids could steal it.

No one felt like getting up twice so they gathered as much food as six teenagers could carry. Burgers and hotdogs were followed by fried chicken kebabs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, corn chips and dip, and finally a huge wedge of apple pie and ice cream, which they had to preserve in the shade of the tree. A feast fit for royalty.

They lazed around for most of the afternoon, happily letting their food go down and watching the younger kids play football nearby. Scott kept yelling unhelpful comments at them until he was goaded into joining in. Though he had ten years on most of the kids, it wasn't long before he was tackled. The rest of the group laughed raucously as all the kids jumped on top of Scott, shrieking and giggling in one enormous pile.

Kurt noticed the sky above them beginning to dim. Soon it would be dark enough for fireworks. He glanced at his watch then gently nudged Peggy's shoulder. She looked back at him, still laughing, and he nodded towards the mansion.

"It's time." He told her quietly. Peggy looked surprised. She glanced at her own watch and tutted to herself.

"Oh, blimey, thank you, sweetheart." She said, quickly jumping to her feet. She kissed the top of his head then told her friends she'd be back in a little while.

"Where's she going?" Jean asked, watching their friend grow smaller and smaller as she hurried across the grass towards the school. The corner of Kurt's mouth twisted slightly, he didn't really want to think about it.

"Her parents are calling to talk about her flight." He explained, trying to ignore the sick feeling it brought to his stomach. Jean, Ororo, and Jubilee exchanged a knowing look. It wasn't often Kurt looked so sullen, they knew it must be bad.

"Let's get you a sparkler." Jean said, standing up and brushing down her trousers. It was the only thing she could think of to change the subject and take Kurt's mind off Peggy's departure but it seemed to do the trick. Kurt beamed and nodded happily, so they wandered across the lawn towards Hank, who was handing out sparklers to the younger kids whilst the Professor supervised.

Peggy returned almost an hour later. Jubilee protested at first when she saw that she'd changed out of her shirt and into her favourite blue dress, but Peggy went and grabbed her another ice cream and all was forgiven. By then, Scott had managed to crawl back to the safety of their tree. He was a little annoyed that his friends had left him to fend for himself against the younger kids but he quickly got over it when they produced the sparkler they'd brought him. Peggy flopped back down beside her friends with a deep sigh.

"I got an earful from the Olds." She muttered, smiling ruefully down at the grass. Jubilee quirked her eyebrows.

"Yeah?" She was experimenting with her sparkler, wondering if she could light it with her mutation. She flexed her fingers and sparks instantly crackled and fizzed in her palm. Jubilee brought her sparkler close to her hand and let out an excited cry when it popped into life. She leaned back and began to write her name in the air as Peggy continued.

"Yeah, they wanted me home two weeks ago but I keep putting it off. They're a bit cross."

"Oh, really?" Ororo asked. Peggy's expression brightened.

"No, O'Reilly." She said quickly before Ororo could say anything more. When all she got was confused stares in response, Peggy's smile grew. "Because we're Irish." She explained, but still nothing. She looked to Kurt, hoping at least he'd found it funny but he looked just as bewildered as everyone else. "No? Alright."

"What's the decision?" Scott asked, trying to get Peggy back on track. She glanced at Kurt then gave them all a sad little smile.

"Friday." Peggy saw Kurt's shoulders sink but she didn't dare look him in the eye. "My flight's late so I have the day here and then... I suppose I'll see you in September." She forced a smile, not wanting to bring down the mood when they were all having so much fun.

Peggy couldn't wait to see her family again, her brothers and sisters meant the world to her and she'd never spent so much time away from her parents. She'd never even left Ireland before she came to Xavier's school. But now Peggy had tasted America, walked its streets, loved its people, heard its sound. She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life in her tiny town.

"Let's send you off with a bang." Scott nodded his head over to where Hank and a couple of the older kids were setting up the fireworks. Suddenly, they all ran in different directions, hurrying away from something. Then there was a loud hiss and whoosh! The first firework of the night shot through the sky and exploded amongst the stars. They all cheered, the excitement rousing them from their lazy day sluggishness.

"Good timing." Peggy told Scott, though she wasn't sure he heard her because the moment she tried to speak, another two fireworks cascaded upwards, lighting up the quickly darkening lawn. They all got to their feet so that they could see the colours without having to peer through the tree branches. They huddled together, Ororo with her arm around Jean, Jubilee resting her head on Scott's shoulder.

Kurt had always loved fireworks. The loud noises made him jump a bit, he flinched at every explosion, but it was worth it. He used to think there was nothing that could possibly make the Fourth of July any better. But then he met Peggy. The pinks and blues and greens flashed in her dark eyes. Her smile was so wide, so carefree. Kurt couldn't look away from her, not even the fireworks could distract him.

He held out his hand and Peggy didn't even have to ask. She placed her hand in his, trusting him without a second thought. Kurt leaned in close and reminded her to bend her knees, quiet enough so that none of their friends would be able to hear him. Then he looked up at the school and they vanished.

Peggy let out an 'oof' of surprise when the soft grass under her feet suddenly turned to gravel. She didn't wobble, thanks to Kurt's warning, which she was grateful for as they'd landed very close to the edge. Peggy took a nervous step backwards. She wasn't afraid of heights but she wasn't the most graceful person and knowing her luck, she'd trip over her own feet, right over the ledge.

"Good idea, sweetheart." Peggy murmured, casting her gaze around. Kurt had brought them to the roof. She'd never been up here before, none of them had. It was almost impossible to get to and that was if you managed to get past Ros. That is, unless you could teleport.

A firework boomed over their heads and Peggy grinned when she realised what a great view they had. Kurt reached out and carefully took her hand in his again, his fingers curling awkwardly around hers until they fit together comfortably. Peggy looked up at him, still grinning. Kurt smiled back and squeezed her hand. "Do you come up here a lot?" She asked as they sat down by the ledge.

"I used to when I first came to the school but not so much now." Kurt kept a watchful eye on Peggy as she scooted closer to the edge. She looked down at how high they were, swore, then looked around for their friends.

"What changed?" She asked, swinging her legs over the side. Kurt shuffled to sit beside her, feeling a bit safer if she was within grabbing distance.

"I think I just needed time to settle." More fireworks bloomed like a meadow and the kids below shrieked happily. "Our friends helped a lot. They make me feel like I'm home. And you. You make me feel at home too." Kurt tried to meet Peggy's gaze but she looked down at her lap. She toyed with the hem of her dress, rolling it between her fingers. "You're thinking about Friday." Kurt said, his voice falling to a whisper.

Peggy sighed and turned to look at him. Her face was all screwed up, like she had too many thoughts rolling around in her head. Kurt waited patiently, watching the lights flit across her face. Finally, Peggy sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. She brought her arm around his back, tucking her fingers into his jacket pocket, while her other rested on his knee, just trying to keep him as close as possible. Kurt melted under her touch, all the tension leaving him instantly.

They sat in silence for a little while, watching the fireworks burst and swirl above them, heads tilted to the night sky. When Peggy finally spoke, her voice was so soft that Kurt almost didn't hear her.

"Could you teleport there?"

"To Ireland?" Kurt felt Peggy nod against his shoulder and sighed. "I can only travel as far as I can see or if I've been there before." Peggy lifted her head, her mouth twisted wryly.

"So if I send you a postcard with a picture of my town on the back, that wouldn't work?" Kurt chuckled and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I don't think so, liebling." Peggy hummed, she was disappointed but it had been a long shot anyway. Kurt saw her face fall for a moment, just a tiny slip, but it was enough. Kurt kissed her cheek, making her look back at him. "Send one anyway," He said, then kissed her again. "Then we'll know for sure." To his delight, Peggy's smile returned. Kurt sighed and leaned forward, touching his forehead against hers. "I'll think about you every day."

Peggy felt her heart swell at his words. What had she done to deserve a boy like Kurt Wagner? Whenever she looked at him, it was like the first time. Peggy remembered being nervous, walking down the stairs with Jubilee, her fingers tangling in the cuffs of her sleeves. She remembered the moment a ragtag bunch of kids came into view, hours away from being her best friends. She remembered the roar of the school fading away to nothing the second she laid eyes on Kurt.

He was so different, not just in his appearance but in the way he treated her. No boy had ever shown her such respect or spoken to her with such honesty, she almost couldn't believe that someone could be so kind. That all seemed like years ago.

Looking at him now, Peggy felt her heart thrum the same way it did on the day they met, a gentle warning, a nudge, a hint that he was going to be someone important, someone dependable and soft and earnest. Peggy knew she'd still feel that way if she looked at him every day for a hundred years. Every time she saw him, every time his eyes met hers, she fell for him all over again.

Kurt could see it. Peggy wasn't much of a sharer but that wasn't her fault, it was in her blood, a birthright entrenched by her nationality, but he could see it in the way she smiled at him, in the way she called his name. Kurt saw her face soften every time she looked at him and knew, just knew that she adored him. He would give her the world so long as she kept looking at him like that.

The fireworks continued to blare in the distance, casting yellow and red shadows across Kurt's face. Peggy gave him a wide smile before leaning forward to kiss him. What was supposed to be chaste became something more when he chased her lips, not wanting the moment to end so soon. He felt Peggy smile against his lips, her hand coming to rest on his cheek. Kurt pulled her closer, wanting more of the warmth she always emitted.

He thought about pulling away, the fireworks were almost over and soon their friends would be looking for them, but Peggy ran her tongue along his bottom lip and his brain went kaput. His lips parted in surprise and Peggy took the opportunity to pull him closer and gently touch his tongue with hers. Kurt gave a surprised moan, his grip on her hips tightening. Peggy brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth as she pulled away and laughed when she saw the look on his face.

"Something about fireworks gets me all fired up, apparently." She whispered. Kurt nodded, already looking down at her lips again.

"I'll have to remember that." He muttered before pressing his lips back to hers. The fireworks soon faded away to nothing. Moving so that she was straddling him, Peggy grabbed the front of Kurt's shirt and pulled him as close as she possibly could. Their noses got all smushed together making them both laugh.

Kissing Peggy had this strange effect on him. Sometimes it made Kurt feel so relaxed and calm, like she was soothing him just by being in her company. The rest of the time, he felt like his chest might burst with all the desire flooding through him. Now was one of those times.

Peggy smoothed her hands up his chest, trailing her fingers across his jaw before she tangled them in his hair. Kurt gave a soft, little moan when she pulled gently, a shiver running over his skin. The sound made Peggy's heart thud louder than the Fourth of July fireworks.

His hands found her waist and he pulled her closer still, causing Peggy's hips to collide with his. They were both surprised, especially Kurt who had done it accidentally, but Peggy recovered quickly. Instead of pulling away like he feared she would, she raised her hips and ground back down again.

Kurt let out a gasp, his grip on her waist tightening. He held her against him, his forehead falling to touch hers as he experienced his first taste of intimacy. Peggy smiled as she rolled her hips against his again, her breathing only getting shakier when Kurt gave a loud groan that neither of them expected.

She stopped then, assuming he'd want to savour the sensation again but Kurt gripped her hips tight and pulled her against him again and again, wanting more of the incredible feeling they both shared. Peggy matched the pace he set for her, pushing down a little harder every so often. Kurt's head fell back, his eyes shut tight and his mouth hanging open in a silent moan.

Peggy bit her lip as she watched him. She was honoured to know she was the first person to make him feel this way, the first to make him moan and gasp. She was proud to be the first person Kurt had ever touched like this. He was doing a very good job for a first timer. She brought his mouth back to hers but kept her hips moving. She could feel him growing beneath the confines of his jeans and it was electrifying, addictive, she didn't want to stop.

Her hands left his hair and trailed down his back until her fingers brushed against the base of his tail. She barely ghosted over his skin but Kurt's every fibre tingled. He waited in deep anticipation, hoping she was going to do what he knew she was considering.

Peggy's left hand travelled back up his spine but before he could begin to feel disappointed, Kurt felt her fingers wrap around his tail. Peggy felt him stiffen against her immediately. She paused, wondering whether she should let go or not. Kurt's mouth left hers. With his eyes still closed, he murmured,

"Bitte." Peggy didn't have to be told twice. She ran her closed fist as far as she could reach along the length of his tail and Kurt's whole body shuddered. They both knew his tail was sensitive but Kurt never could have imagined it would feel this good.

Peggy brought her hand back to the base and ran her thumb along the underside. Kurt let out a choked moan and his head fell forward, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. "Härter." She tightened her grip and his mouth fell open, his warm breath expanding over her skin. He placed sloppy, distracted kisses on her neck, a small thank you. "Ja, genau so."

She would've gladly stayed that way forever but all too soon, Kurt raised his head, her name spilling from his lips as he tried to collect his scattered thoughts. "Peggy. Peggy, we- We need to go- Go inside. Peggy." If she kept this, he wasn't going to last much longer. Kurt wanted to go somewhere they could be alone, somewhere safe.

He was shaking a little and Peggy was worried that it'd all been too much for him but the next thing she knew, they were somewhere else and Kurt was pressing her against a wall. Peggy didn't have much time to wonder about where he'd taken them. They were inside the mansion and it was dark, but that was all Peggy could glean from her surroundings before Kurt pressed his lips against hers.

Her hands immediately found their way back to his hair, tugging and gripping to make him moan against her mouth. Kurt was so close, Peggy could hardly breathe. His chest was flush against hers, his hands holding her in place. Apparently what he lacked in experience, Kurt made up for in enthusiasm.

He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, just as she had done to him. He was learning with every passing second and he was a very attentive student. His tongue caressed hers, moving slowly at first as he figured out what felt good but soon he had her groaning softly, their mouths becoming more and more frantic as the heat between them grew.

Kurt pulled away and met her gaze, a dopey smile on his face. He was still her sweet friend, even when he was making her gasp and moan against a wall. His eyes appeared to glow in the half-darkness and Peggy felt a shiver run over her skin.

His head turned when he thought he heard a noise. Peggy took the opportunity to lean forward and press soft, slow kisses along his jawline, making Kurt breathe a low sigh. Another voice called out, closer this time, and Kurt cursed whoever it was for interrupting such a promising make out session. Peggy seemed to read his mind.

"Bedroom. Now." She murmured close to his ear. Kurt had never heard a more beautiful sentence in his entire life. Without another word, he teleported them upstairs. Peggy had intended for them to hide away in her room but she was glad Kurt had remembered her messy habits. She didn't want to spend precious minutes tidying when they could be kissing.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she was pushed up against another flat surface, Kurt's bedroom door. She rather liked this dominating side to him, so different from his usually shy, sweet nature. His lips found hers again instantly but this kiss wasn't like the ones before. He moved slowly, infuriatingly so, dragging his lips over hers and making her beg for more.

"You're so beautiful, miene nachtigall." Kurt murmured against her lips. "You have been distracting me all day. It has been difficult to keep my hands off of you." As he spoke, he ran his hands up her arms then back down her sides, following the curves of her body with a groan so low, she almost didn't hear it. Knowing that he'd been thinking about her made Peggy bite her lip, a familiar heat beginning to pool in the pit of her stomach.

Kurt gripped the fabric of her dress, pulling her even closer against him which she hadn't thought possible. "This dress has been a great frustration over the past few months." Every time he pictured Peggy in his head, she was wearing this dress. He didn't know what it was, the colour, the fit, the low cut, it didn't matter. Peggy looked amazing. She raised an eyebrow, a sly smile sliding onto her lips.

"Why do you think I wear it so often?" She'd caught him staring a few times but it was actually Scott who'd tipped her off. _'It gets his blood_ going, _if you know what I mean'_. Peggy always knew what Scott meant but his advice had not been ignored. She wore the dress as often as possible, all the while knowing that Kurt would struggle to keep a clear head whenever she was around. He met her gaze, his lips parted slightly as he realised what that meant. It was the final nail in his self-control's coffin.

"Oh, gott." Kurt chuckled to himself and brought his mouth to hers, pushing her hard up against the door. He felt Peggy's hands roam over him, her nails digging in here, her fingertips pressing there. She would've liked to take her time but Kurt's lips found their way to her jaw and Peggy's self-restraint went walkabout.

She ran her hands down his chest to his stomach, so distracted by how lean and taut he felt that she missed his sharp intake of breath. Still, she wanted more. Peggy lifted her leg, allowing him to move closer. His hips collided with hers and they both let out loud groans, very grateful that all their friends were still outside and wouldn't overhear them.

Kurt caught her leg and held it in place against his hip, allowing him to move closer still. Peggy rolled her hips again and he closed his eyes, resting his head in the crook of her neck as a wave of pleasure overcame him.

He'd never felt anything like this before. He could hardly think straight, which was probably due to all the blood in his brain rushing to other places. He gripped her leg tighter, prompting Peggy to wrap herself around him. Before he knew it, his jacket was on the floor at their feet.

They panted into each other's mouths, their kisses now a mess of teeth and tongue. This was not how Kurt had intended his night to end but he was very glad of the unexpected after-party. "Bleib bei mir." He gasped before capturing her lips again. Peggy was surprised by his proposal and blamed the adrenaline for his newfound forwardness.

"Bed." She murmured breathlessly against his mouth. Kurt immediately moved away and she eagerly followed. Both of them missed the warmth of the other's touch, so it took only a few seconds for Peggy to fall back onto the bed and pull Kurt on top of her.

Finally, he began to feel nervous. Kissing was one thing, touching was all instinct, but now he was hovering above Peggy, his hands either side of her shoulders and he wasn't sure if he was brave enough to continue. Peggy ran her hands up his arms and cupped his face, giving him a warm smile as she guided his lips back to hers.

He bent his elbows, allowing him to move closer, his body now flush against hers. Peggy gripped his shoulders when his knee parted her legs, whether it was intentional or not. He had no idea of the effect he had on her every day, least now when he was pressed against her.

Her hands slid under his shirt, her fingers splayed as she ran her palms up to his chest. Kurt stiffened up at first, he still wasn't used to being touched there. Peggy stilled her hands, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable. She craned her neck and captured his lips, distracting him with a deep, slow kiss that had Kurt's tail curling.

She began to move her hands again, finding the grooves in his skin and tracing them with her fingertips. Kurt's mouth left hers as he let out a soft sigh, his eyes firmly shut. Peggy smiled, feeling quite pleased with herself.

She smoothed her hands back down over his stomach then caught the hem of his shirt between her fingertips. With a slight tug at the material, she silently asked if it was alright to take it off. Kurt opened his eyes again and nodded slightly.

Peggy licked her lips, suddenly feeling a little nervous as she lifted his shirt up and up and up until Kurt raised his arms and pulled it over his head. She knew she was staring but Peggy couldn't help herself. He'd felt good under her hands and it was nothing she hadn't seen before, but he still left her breathless.

Her gaze met his again when Kurt gave a soft, shy laugh. She smiled slowly. Kurt returned it as he lowered himself onto her, his lips pressing against hers more ardently than before. Peggy let her hands roam over the expanse of his chest, even grazing her fingernails across his skin just to see what he'd do.

Kurt caught her bottom lip between his teeth as a low moan escaped him. The sound went straight through her. The very idea that she was the one making him moan and sigh made Peggy's already flushed skin even hotter and her desire grow into pure want.

His mouth left hers, much to Peggy's disappointment, but he was quick to make amends. He found her neck, his lips barely grazing her skin but it was enough to make Peggy gasp. Kurt glanced up and saw that her eyes were closed, her swollen lips parted as her breathing grew heavier. Encouraged by her response, he began to press harder kisses against her throat.

He couldn't help breathing in her scent, it was everywhere, overwhelming him, making his chest ache for her. Peggy felt his hot breath against her skin and arched her back, spurring him on. His hair brushed her chin and she selfishly resisted the urge to run her hands through it, not wanting to divert his attention.

Feeling emboldened by her positive reaction, Kurt began to nip at her throat, right at the point where it met her collarbone. When Peggy gave an appreciative sigh, he grew braver and bit down gently. She let out a loud moan that surprised them both. It was music to Kurt's ears.

"You sure you've never done this before?" Peggy asked breathlessly, pushing her head even further back against the pillows. Kurt grinned, feeling mightily pleased with himself. He pressed a kiss to what he hoped would turn into a prominent love bite then ran his tongue up the length of her neck. What had started out as sweet, soft kisses had turned purposeful and ardent.

Peggy ran her hands down his chest, over his stomach to the waistband of his jeans. Kurt was still pressing kisses to her neck but she knew she had his attention. She slipped the very tips of her fingers under the band of his trousers, sliding them around his waist until they met below his navel. With her lip caught between her teeth, Peggy ran her hand down until she could feel the length of him through his jeans, watching his expression carefully for his reaction.

Kurt's scarlet eyes closed at the new and miraculous sensation that flooded through his body. He let out a low growl that vibrated against her throat, his teeth bared against her neck. Peggy removed her hand from the front of his jeans and Kurt missed her touch instantly, but the reward for his patience was worth it.

She sat up so that she could pull her dress over her head, carelessly flinging it across the room where she would later discover it had landed on a lampshade. Kurt could hardly believe she was allowing him to see so much of her, he didn't feel worthy. Then he noticed the colour of her underwear, a strangely familiar dark blue. Peggy saw him smile to himself and raised her eyebrows.

"What?" He didn't say anything. When Kurt's smile grew wider, Peggy huffed. " _What_?"

"Nothing."

"Kurt."

"I didn't say anything!" Peggy rolled her eyes.

"This has been my favourite colour for a long time. You are a coincidence." It was the honest truth, though she supposed the smile she was struggling to hold back said otherwise. Just as she suspected, Kurt didn't seem to believe her.

"Sure." He said, still grinning. Peggy tutted, she didn't like it when he had the upper hand.

"Shut up and kiss me." She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling his lips back to hers, their kisses a lot messier than before. Kurt used one of his hands to prop himself up, the other he swept over her stomach, dragging his nails slightly. When his hand reached the bottom of her bra, he paused. Peggy noticed and began to murmur words of encouragement against his lips.

"You're so wonderful, Kurt. Berühr mich. Bitte. You make me feel so good. Ich brauche dich. Bitte, Kurt. Please." The jumbled mix of English and German and her breathless voice made Kurt's head spin. She wanted him. She needed him. He was the only one who could make her feel good. His hand finally smoothed over her breast and squeezed gently, trying to replicate what she'd shown him.

Peggy closed her eyes, her breaths coming short and fast now. His large hand palmed and squeezed her, completely running off instincts. Kurt had no idea what he was doing but Peggy seemed to be enjoying herself so he supposed he was doing okay. She let out another tantalising groan and Kurt pressed his mouth back to hers, relishing in the feeling of her hands clawing and massaging at his back.

He pulled away just to get a good look at her. Peggy's dark hair was spread about the pillow like a messy halo and her eyes were bright and shining with life. Her lips were red and bitten and they called to him like a siren. He'd never get tired of kissing her. But then he noticed the strap of her bra slipping down off her lowered shoulder and the reality of what they were doing finally set in.

"Wait." Kurt murmured, so quietly Peggy didn't catch it. Her hands reached for the buckle of his belt and he repeated himself. Her hands instantly stilled, her eyes meeting his. Kurt swallowed thickly as he sat up, being careful not to squash her under his weight. "I'm sorry, I can't, I-"

"Are you okay?" Peggy asked softly, not wanting to overwhelm him and make it worse. Kurt paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on her shoulder as he collected himself. His heart was still beating unbearably fast and he could hardly focus. He tried to speak but his tongue felt heavy so he took a breath before trying again.

"This... This is so amazing but I just..." Peggy licked her lips, suddenly filled with worry. She'd wondered whether this all might be too much for him but he seemed to certain of himself. Guilt started to well in her chest at the thought of making him feel uncomfortable. "Believe me, it's very difficult..." Kurt gestured vaguely towards her, stealing a glance down at her chest before looking away. "I would prefer it if we waited before..." He trailed off, hoping she'd get the message. Kurt was terribly embarrassed, he could hardly look her in the eye, but Peggy was just relieved he didn't feel pressured.

"Oh!" She sat up on one elbow, waving her other hand about airily. "Yeah, no worries." Kurt was surprised but he wasn't sure why. Peggy would never do anything to make him uncomfortable, perhaps he just didn't want her to think he was afraid of this, of her.

"Are you sure?" Kurt tried not to look as worried as he felt.

"Yeah, of course. Don't worry about it." Peggy said brightly, more than happy to stop if he didn't want to go any further. She leaned back on her elbows, smiling happily up at him as if they weren't both half undressed and about to... Kurt didn't even want to think about it. He was already barely grasping at the edges of his self-control, Peggy looked so beautiful and he was so enamoured.

"You're making this very hard." Kurt muttered, looking away again with a wry smile. He felt Peggy shift beneath him then groaned when she ground her hips against his.

"I can feel that." She chuckled at the unimpressed look he sent her.

"No, I meant..." Kurt sighed and carefully sat back on his knees, allowing her to sit up properly. The change of pace made the room feel different, there was a new tension between them now.

Kurt stammered for a moment, unable to find the words he needed to explain himself. Peggy was already a huge distraction, shirtless and smiling just inches away, but his nerves were getting the better of him. "I just want to marry you before we..." He bit his lip the moment the words left his mouth. That had sounded a lot better in his head. Peggy stared at him for a moment. She certainly hadn't been expecting that.

"Are you going to marry me, Kurt?" She breathed, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a smile. He fidgeted with the edge of the bedcovers, his gaze shifting between her and his chequered sheets.

"Maybe." His voice was so soft Peggy had to lean closer to hear him properly. His scarlet eyes met hers, hope tugging at his smile. "Would you... Do you want to?" Peggy was a little taken aback (no other boy had ever proposed in the middle of sex) but she couldn't resist being coy.

"Are you asking?" She raised her eyebrows and Kurt hastily backtracked.

"No! I mean, no, not today." He said quickly. "But... Maybe in the future." Peggy studied him for a moment whilst Kurt waited anxiously for her verdict. Then she smiled, rested her hands on his knees and leaned in close.

"I dunno if I'll be able to keep my hands off you for that long." She murmured. Kurt had honestly never heard anything more ridiculously sexy in all his life and he probably would've fainted right there if Peggy hadn't kissed him, slow and gentle, her fingers squeezing his knees.

He felt his worried heart immediately begin to slow as he replayed their conversation in his head. Peggy didn't mind that he wanted to wait. Peggy would marry him if he asked. Kurt slipped his hands around her middle, suddenly wanting her as close as possible. She fell into his lap without breaking their kiss, her hands cupping his face, her fingertips circling gently against the grooves of his skin.

Peggy sighed when his forehead touched hers, finding his warmth delightfully inescapable. He hummed happily as her fingertips continued to spiral across his face until they found their way into his hair. Peggy pulled on his curls, gentle but enough to elicit a low growl from him. The sound went straight through her and before she knew it, he was kissing her again, harder this time.

Kurt pulled her even closer, pressing her body against his so that he could feel her every curve. His hands skirted up her sides, his thumbs brushing against the sensitive skin at her breasts. Peggy groaned into his mouth, unable to stop herself. Kurt repeated the action, this time using the edge of his nail to graze her skin. Peggy swore under her breath, bucking her hips and making Kurt moan in response. The next thing she knew, she was on her back.

Kurt moved over her, capturing her lips again as his hands mapped her body. He lifted her thigh, holding it in place against his hip so that he could move even closer. The friction of his jeans against her was unbearable, he wanted more. Hearing her gasp for him, hearing her moan his name, he'd never heard anything so incredible. Peggy was more than happy with the change of tempo but Kurt's words rang clear as a bell in her mind.

"What about... Waiting until marriage?" She managed to gasp out in-between kisses. Kurt broke away, still smiling. He placed arbitrary, heated kisses down her neck until he reached the swell of her breasts.

"I changed my mind." His breath tickled her skin then his teeth grazed along the edge of her bra. Peggy let out a strangled cry, forgetting herself for a minute and getting lost in the feeling of Kurt exploring her, learning by the second. Then she remembered how worried he'd looked not two minutes ago.

"Wait, Kurt," Peggy tucked her fingers under his chin and lifted his head so that he could look her in the eye. "Are you sure this is what you want?" Kurt gazed back at her, his eyes dark and soft.

He always thought he would wait. But that was before he met Peggy, before he knew that he could be loved this much and love so much in return. Kurt trusted Peggy with his life and they'd almost lost so much.

Soon she would be gone, not for long, but far longer than he was happy about. If this was their last week together, he thought they deserved a proper send-off. Kurt had so much love welling up inside of him, for her, for his friends, for his God... He didn't see why he couldn't worship Peggy as well.

"Very sure." Peggy grinned and Kurt couldn't hold back any longer. He dipped his head and kissed her again, pushing himself forward against her. Peggy's fingers dug into his hair, pulling harder every so often and making his skin tingle.

His newfound confidence was exhilarating. Kurt could hardly believe it either. Something was guiding him, something inside his head. He already knew what to do, he'd just needed the confidence to act upon his instincts. Peggy was so soft and warm and she smelt so good. All Kurt could think about was his bare skin against hers.

With a groan he pulled his mouth away from Peggy's, grinning at her disappointed expression. Kurt ground his hips against hers making Peggy gasp. He repeated the action, watching her face closely, everything was trial and error to him. A loud moan passed from her lips but Peggy was beyond feeling embarrassed now. Still, she couldn't help being thankful that her friends were nowhere nearby.

He wanted more, more of her, more of the pleasure that he felt was too much for just one person to bear. Peggy sensed his need and was glad of it, because she too was growing impatient. She sat up and unhooked her bra, saving him possibly hours of time. Kurt was transfixed as she settled back down on the bed but it didn't take him long to snap out of it.

He glanced skywards, sending up a quick prayer of thanks, before he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers again. He kissed both of her cheeks, the tip of her nose, then her chin, working his way down her neck. When he reached the top of her breasts, Peggy's smile disappeared.

His lips ghosted over her skin, making her eyes flutter shut. The anticipation was murder. He kissed down the length of her chest, ever so slightly dragging his lips down between the valley of her breasts. If she didn't know him better, Peggy would say Kurt was teasing her. She lifted her head and caught his eye. He smirked, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Kurt bent his head again and retraced his steps, trailing delicate kisses up towards her sternum.

Just when Peggy was about to grumble, she felt his breath on her skin and then he took her nipple into his mouth. She couldn't keep the grin off her face as she let her head fall back against the pillows. One of her hands slid back into his hair, pulling Kurt closer against her. Spurred on by her reaction, he ran his tongue over and around in circles, nibbling ever so softly.

He'd be lying if he said he'd never thought about this, it was all Jubilee's fault really. Once she mentioned that Peggy was "blessed in the boob department", it had been difficult not to let his mind wander. When she tugged on his hair again, Kurt lifted his head and got to work on her other breast. His large hand found the first, massaging and squeezing until he found the perfect formula to make her moan.

It was getting harder and harder for Peggy to keep quiet. She'd just managed to remove Kurt's belt when his mouth left her. She thought about complaining but Kurt began to press hot kisses down her stomach. His hands slid down from her ribs, trailing his nails ever so slightly until they rested on her hips. It wasn't until she felt his breath against the skin of her thigh that she realised his intentions. Peggy immediately sat up, leaning back on her elbows so that she could look him in the eye.

"Kurt, you don't have to." She said quickly, her voice coming out all raspy and hoarse. Kurt met her gaze and smirked. He was suddenly brimming with confidence and it made Peggy's chest rise and fall heavily, which she knew he enjoyed seeing.

"Oh, believe me," Kurt practically purred. "I want to." Peggy watched with fascination as he leaned forward and kissed her hard, pushing her back down against the mattress. When she was comfortable, he moved back down to his position between her legs. "I've wanted this for a long time." His words made Peggy shudder, a thrill of excitement suddenly zigzagging through her.

He tucked his fingers under the waistband of her underwear then tugged them down. She lifted her hips to help him and heard Kurt groan, deep and guttural. Peggy heard him murmur her name, his voice filled with such reverence, she could hardly believe it.

She felt his breath against her and there was a split second where she couldn't imagine a more exquisite sensation, but then Kurt drew the flat of his tongue up against her. Peggy sighed sweetly, her eyes shut tight at the wondrous feeling.

Kurt watched her carefully as he continued his work, enjoying the way her lips parted in silent cries but liking her vocalisations even more. He alternated between broad strokes and short, fast licks, trying out every possible combination he could think of to make Peggy feel good. After he'd got the gist of it, Kurt allowed himself to be more adventurous, drawing the little bud between his lips and teeth.

"Do you like what I'm doing?" He asked, his voice and accent a stimulant all of their own. His experience was all theoretical but he was eager to please. He wanted to know what worked and what didn't. Peggy was a good tutor.

"Yes! Oh, God!" She didn't even bother trying to be quiet, there was no point. She was way past quiet. Kurt hummed, feeling pleased with himself. The vibrations made Peggy writhe, rolling her hips against his tongue. Kurt hummed again, just to see if it had been a fluke but she groaned, her hands leaving him to grab the corners of the pillow. Kurt made a mental note, adding it to the list of things she seemed to enjoy.

He reached up and held her hips in place. His grip wasn't commanding, she could still move about, but it was firm enough so that she knew he was taking control. Kurt alternated between his lips and his teeth, his eyes never leaving Peggy's face. Her lips were parted, her chest rising and falling as she panted heavily.

Every so often she'd let out a maddening cry, sometimes she'd even breathe a German phrase just to draw a moan from him, but the best was when she'd call out his name. Kurt didn't think his name was particularly beautiful but it sounded like a hymn coming from Peggy. He drew his tongue across her centre and she swore she saw stars. Kurt couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

"You're so beautiful, Peggy." He murmured against her, causing her to moan and buck her hips. Peggy could feel her muscles trembling as that familiar warmth began to sweep through her body. She was so close. Kurt knew it too. He gripped her hips tighter, licking and sucking as if his life depended on it and at that moment, it truly felt like it did.

"Kurt! Fuck!" One more flick of his tongue and he felt her tense, her mouth falling open in a silent cry as wave after wave of pleasure wracked her body. Kurt didn't stop, he continued to move his tongue until Peggy sank back onto the mattress.

Whilst she got her breath back, Kurt pressed tiny, soft kisses up her thighs, then her hips, all the way up to meet her lips again. Peggy tangled her fingers in his hair, holding his mouth against hers for a moment.

"Ich brauche dich." She murmured. "Ich will dich jetzt." Kurt grinned and Peggy immediately sat up, not wanting to waste a single second. With impressive speed and strength, she pushed Kurt down onto the mattress then swung her knee across so she was straddling his waist. His hands immediately found her hips, pleasantly surprised by the new order of things.

Peggy unbuttoned his jeans with excited fingers, dragging them down his long legs and flinging them across the room to join the rest of their clothes. She allowed herself a glance down at his tented underwear but didn't indulge herself for long. Peggy smiled down at Kurt, making sure that he was alright before she kissed him quickly.

With her hands planted either side of him, she moved smoothly down his body, peppering kisses over his shoulders, chest, and then down his stomach. Kurt sat up suddenly and pulled her up so that she was sitting in his lap again. He liked having her close, he couldn't get enough of her. Kurt's eyes shone as he looked up at her, his fingers tracing smooth lines up and down her back.

Peggy cupped his face, her thumbs sliding over his cheeks as she kissed him again, deep and slow. Kurt's fingers soon made their way around her front and between her legs, making her gasp against his mouth. Her hips jerked against his touch as his lips found her breasts again. He was fast growing beneath her but as crazy as he was driving Peggy, a sudden moment of clarity struck.

"Wait, we need..." Kurt's expression brightened when he too realised what they were missing.

"Oh, I have some." He carefully sat up a little, holding her close with one hand while he fished around in his bedside drawer with the other. He pulled out a box of condoms, dropping it onto the table top proudly. Peggy was surprised, to say the least. He was certainly prepared. Kurt saw her expression and gave her a sheepish smile. "Scott bought them for me."

"Scott?" Peggy laughed. "Why? When?"

"The day after your first training session." Kurt saw she was confused and knew he would have to explain. "I... I had a dream about you." He admitted, avoiding her gaze. Peggy gasped happily, her whole face lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"Shut up, no way." She breathed, then laughed again. "What happened?"

"No, Peggy, it's too embarrassing. Please." Kurt groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. He'd only told Scott because it had never happened to him before and they were both guys, he would surely know what to do. Scott had actually been very considerate. Kurt felt mortified and guilty about the whole thing but he assured him that it wasn't unusual. However, when he dropped a box of condoms in his lap the next day, there was a bit of a scuffle.

Peggy was still beaming down at him. Kurt knew that look, that look that meant he wasn't getting out of this. "We were in the gym, practicing sparring." He sighed and closed his eyes, so painfully embarrassed he couldn't even look at her. "You pinned me to the mats and then..." He trailed off but he didn't need to say anymore. Peggy didn't think she'd ever been so happy in all her life.

"This is the best thing I've ever heard." She heard Kurt groan and rushed to reassure him, though she was still laughing happily. "No, Kurt, it's adorable. And flattering." She tilted her head to the side, eyebrows raised. "And, I'll be honest, a bit of a turn on." That got Kurt's attention. His hands slipped away from his face, his confidence slowly starting to return.

"Really?" He began to smile and he looked so sweet, Peggy couldn't help kissing the end of his nose.

"I never thought I'd say this in this context, but thank you, Scott." She muttered, patting the box lightly. Leaving the little foil packet on the nightstand, Peggy splayed her fingers against Kurt's chest and pushed him down onto the mattress. A low growl escaped him and it went straight through her, he rather liked this side to her.

Peggy held his gaze as she began to toy with the waistband of his boxers. Her fingers were so close but somehow felt agonisingly far. Leaning her body over his, Peggy left a chaste kiss on his lips before working her way down his neck, past his collarbones, picking up where she'd left off. She shot Kurt a gorgeous smirk that would've had him moaning anyway but then she began to pull underwear from his body until at last there was nothing between them.

Kurt felt his face grow hot all over again but before he could move to cover himself, he felt Peggy's breath wash over him as she kissed the insides of his thighs. He hissed as she slowly worked her way up the base of his length. Kurt's hips bucked towards her teasing touch as her tongue brushed lightly across him.

Peggy looked up to see Kurt's lips were parted as he watched her intently. Her heart hammered as she brushed her fingertips along his hips, then she took his length in her mouth. Kurt's stomach tensed as she moved her lips as far down as possible, groaning as she moved her head back and forth slowly, his fingers now digging into her hair desperately.

He wanted to protest, he was so close, he wasn't going to last much longer, then suddenly her mouth left him. Kurt missed the warmth of her touch instantly but Peggy's patience was already running thin and his moans had just about finished her off. She straddled him again, smiling when his hands instantly found her hips. Peggy grasped him, making Kurt gasp quietly, grabbed the condom then lined him up.

Before she sank down, she paused, much to Kurt's frustration. It felt like his whole body was pulsing. There was a wealth of pleasure awaiting him just out of reach and he knew that Peggy was the only one who could get him there. Peggy looked down at her beloved best friend, marvelling at how far they'd come since the first time they met. She knew he wanted this, wanted her, but Peggy could feel his nerves as he gazed up at her, scarlet eyes wide and full of wonder.

"It's okay to be nervous." She trailed her fingertips down his chest, following the patterns in his skin, wondering what they meant. Kurt whimpered at the feeling, his whole body tense with anticipation. "But if it helps, my first time was in a boat. Absolutely bloody freezing." Kurt's gaze snapped up to meet hers.

"Wait? A boat?" He repeated, wondering if he'd misheard her. Peggy grinned, pleased that she'd found a way to help him relax. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, sitting back so she could tell her story comfortably. Her movements made Kurt hiss slightly, his every nerve set alight by her touch.

"Okay, so, I was at this beach party with my then boyfriend and we were a bit drunk so we thought it would be a good idea to take a walk and then we found this boat..." Peggy pulled a face at the memory. "It was terrifying. It kept," She held her hand out flat then tipped it from side to side. "Rocking."

Kurt nodded and Peggy chuckled, finding it sweet that he was paying such close attention. "I thought I was gonna go overboard." She ran her fingers back up his chest until she could cup his face in her hands, her thumbs brushing across his cheeks. "You're in a nice warm bed with a blanket and everything." She said softly, her smile bright enough to light the dark room.

"And a hot girl." Kurt added, his hands smoothing up her thighs, his grin confident and enticing and ridiculously handsome. Peggy hummed in agreement.

"Yes, that does help." She shifted so that she was on her knees above him. She gripped him as she positioned herself carefully, her eyes never leaving his. "Bist du beriet?" The German helped clear his mind. Kurt began to smile, his aching body almost forgotten as he gazed up at her. He nodded his head slightly. When Peggy opened her mouth he made the gesture more obvious and whispered 'yes'. As soon as Kurt gave her the go-ahead, she slowly lowered herself onto him.

Kurt gasped quietly, his eyes fluttering shut at the sensation of being entirely surrounded by her warmth. Peggy moaned breathlessly, arching her spine and letting her head fall back, assuring him that she was feeling the same things he was. When she looked down, Kurt still had his eyes closed. She murmured his name and his fingers tightened on her waist. Kurt opened his eyes, his expression one of pure bliss. He smiled to let her know he was alright then smoothed his hands up her waist.

"Küss mich." He whispered. Peggy was eager to comply. She carefully lowered herself over him until she could kiss him, sweet and soft and slow. After he'd had time to adjust, Peggy sat back up and took a deep breath before she raised herself. She made sure to move her hips slowly but deeply, allowing him to get used to the feeling.

Kurt's head fell back but he quickly craned his neck again, trying to keep his eyes open. He wanted to lie back but he also wanted to watch Peggy. She noticed his indecisiveness and it made her grin as she began to move faster, listening closely for his little grunts and moans.

Kurt gripped her hips tightly, trying to help her keep a steady pace but his thoughts were all over the place and he couldn't keep his hands still. They moved between her hips, her waist, her chest, her thighs, unwittingly making Peggy shiver, her own breathing beginning to grow unsteady as he hit the same spot once, twice, three times until she thought she saw stars.

Kurt felt her squeeze around him and instinctively knew that she was close. The unusual, addictive tugging sensation below his stomach was getting stronger and stronger and he knew he was close too. He watched Peggy gasp and groan above him, the way she rolled her hips and bounced for him, her head thrown back, a wide smile on her face. She was beautiful. Kurt wanted to be the one to make her feel that way, he wanted to make her cry out for him and only him. He wanted to be in control.

Before Peggy knew what was happening, Kurt's grip on her hips tightened and suddenly she was on her back again. She looked up at him, surprised. She murmured something along the lines of 'so-hot-oh-my-God-Kurt' but he was altogether too distracted to catch it all.

Peggy was already a gasping mess but she was left breathless when Kurt bent his head and kissed her hard. He felt her moan against his mouth and he smiled into the kiss, once again pleased with himself that he was the reason she was making such noises. He broke away and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead as he began to move, his hips thrusting slow and deep just as she had done.

Kurt watched Peggy squirm restlessly beneath him, begging him to move faster, harder. She ran her fingers through his soft black hair, urging him to speed up. Kurt could never say no to her. He began to pick up speed, his careful movements soon replaced by sharp thrusts, pushing them both towards the edge.

"Don't st- Oh, God, Kurt!" Peggy's words were interrupted by her own loud cry as he hit that spot again, her hands flying to his waist just for something to hold onto. The sounds that came from her were positively sinful, Kurt loved it. Just hearing her gasp for him made him moan in response, his eyes closing as his body shuddered with pleasure.

He bent his head, his open mouth pressing to her shoulder where he whispered words of encouragement and sweet nothings against her skin. Peggy writhed beneath him, her hands running from his hips to his shoulder blades, feeling his muscles move beneath her palms.

"Oh Gott, du bist so gut." Soft moans were gradually replaced by sharp, loud cries, punctuated by jagged, shaky breaths. Peggy reached for the base of his tail again and was rewarded with a deep, animalistic growl as Kurt snarled, his bared teeth pressing against her neck.

It wasn't long before he hit the perfect spot just the right amount, his hand on her waist as his lips found hers. Peggy began to buck her hips, spurring him on now that the end was in sight. She was so close, a few more thrusts from him and she would be gone. His breathing was laboured, his voice loud and wavering, his mouth hanging slightly open. Just seeing Kurt so uninhibited made Peggy's heart stop but then he cried out her name and she was done for.

With a long drawn out cry, her body shuddered and she tensed, arching her back off the bed. Her climax sparked his own and Kurt came with a strangled cry, riding it out until he could barely hold himself up any longer.

His movements became lazy and slow as Peggy groaned, sinking back into the mattress. His body collapsed onto hers and their lips met, working against one another as they both came down from their highs, bodies trembling and breathing sparse. Kurt rolled over into his back but they were still a tangle of limbs.

"That was amazing." He breathed, his eyes sliding shut, his chest rising and falling heavily "You're wonderful. Oh, mein gott. You are incredible." Peggy chuckled as she turned onto her side to look at him.

"You old flatterer, you." She said, then laughed again. He always babbled when he was excited or happy so she supposed that was a good sign. Their friends were probably still outside, most likely wondering where they were. Peggy half-heartedly tried to clear her head just in case Jean happened to be nearby but then Kurt sweetly kissed her shoulder and she decided she didn't care.

Peggy gazed at her boyfriend, her best friend, watching the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile and the way his hair fell into his eyes. She'd never met anyone who made her feel so important, so cherished. No other boy had loved her like Kurt did. Then Peggy came to a jolting realisation. "Kurt?" She murmured, making him look round at her.

"Ja, mein schatz?" He said, still grinning madly. Peggy couldn't help smiling back but her sudden epiphany made her nervous. Her chest felt tight but in a good way, and she knew that if she had to explain the feeling, she would never be able to find the words.

She was leaving soon, not for long but long enough, and Kurt meant everything to her. Peggy thought he deserved to know how she truly felt before she left. She turned in towards him, her face half hidden by the pillow but she could still meet his gaze.

"I love you." Peggy said. It felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She'd probably been in love with him for the longest time but only realised it now. It was just the two of them, together in the dark, breathless and imperfect but so, so beautiful. Kurt stared at her, his scarlet eyes wide.

"You..." He breathed, his words getting lost along the way. Peggy nodded, grinning from ear to ear. Then suddenly, she was on her back and Kurt was on top of her again. He peppered her face with kisses, laughing like he was the happiest man alive. "Say it again."

"I love you." Peggy managed to gasp out in between kisses. Kurt groaned at the sound of those words again, just three words but all he'd ever wanted to hear. "I love you." Peggy caught his face in her hands and brought his lips down to meet hers. "I love you."

"Oh, that is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." Kurt murmured against her mouth, making Peggy laugh again. She felt light as air. She couldn't stop smiling if her life depended on it. Kurt rested his forehead against hers, suddenly feeling so breathlessly happy that he couldn't think straight. "Peggy, you..." He leaned back and shook his head, the most beautiful smile on his face. "I love you too." He said, then leaned forwards to kiss her, hard and passionate, like their first all over again. "Ich liebe dich. I love you."

He kissed every one of her freckles whilst Peggy squirmed and giggled. He wanted her to know that she was loved, that he would never go a day without thinking about her. Kurt would give the world to her and he knew that Peggy, with her warm heart and sharp tongue and bright eyes, she would do the same for him. They curled up under the covers, whispering to each other until they fell asleep, their fingers and hearts entwined.


	16. Chapter 16

Iolana Mahi'ai pressed her hand against the window, letting the cool glass soothe her skin. She felt hot all over, she'd only just got her breath back. She was kneeling on the wide, cushioned window ledge that sat halfway up the main stairs, hiding from her fellow pupils. Iolana cursed herself in her native language, letting the syllables fall into her lap like raindrops.

She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been. There were only a handful of kids in the school and somehow she'd managed to embarrass herself in front of most of them. The window looked out onto the gardens, now empty and dulled as the autumn drew closer. Iolana sighed and rested her forehead against the glass beside her hand, closing her eyes for a moment.

There was a boy. How could she be so stupid? Boys were nothing but trouble and rarely worth the effort, she didn't know why she even tried nurturing a crush on one. And of all the boys, why did it have to be Fred Doving? He was a year older than her and probably didn't even know her last name, but he was gorgeous and funny and she was powerless to resist.

Iolana winced as she replayed what had happened not five minutes ago in her head. There they all were, out adventuring in the gardens, testing the limits of the seemingly endless school grounds. They were a large group, maybe fifteen or so, and they all knew each other well.

Iolana didn't know what had come over her, one minute she was laughing with her friends, the next she and Fred were alone and she was admitting that she liked him. At least, she thought they were alone. Tommy Jutland overheard her and immediately repeated her confession to the whole group. Iolana's cheeks still burned with embarrassment when she remembered the look on Fred's face.

She thought about trailing up the stairs to sulk in her room for a bit until her friends found her and tried to console her. Iolana raised her head from the window and sighed deeply, watching her breath fog up the glass.

"Come on, now," she whispered to herself. "You can't wallow in self-pity. That's even more embarrassing." Iolana sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then uncrossed her legs and slipped off the window ledge. She stopped in the main foyer, trying to decide whether she should try and find her friends or go back to her room.

Before she could reach a decision, the doors of the mansion burst open, smacking against the walls and making an awful racket. Thankfully, Professor Xavier was in his study, otherwise there would've been hell to pay. Iolana jumped and almost fell backwards when someone rushed past her, travelling so fast they were just a blue blur.

"Sorry!" The person yelled back over his shoulder. He disappeared around the corner before Iolana could even respond. She clicked her tongue irritatedly.

"Moron."

"Are you okay?" Iolana's thudding heart picked up again at the new voice. She span around to find Fred standing close behind her. He looked just as shocked by the other kid's arrival as she felt.

"Fred!" She squeaked, taking an instinctive step backwards. He smiled at her, running a hand through his dark hair. Was he nervous? What could he possibly be nervous about?

"I wanted to talk to you." Fred glanced around them to make sure they were alone. He didn't want anyone else to interrupt them that day. He cleared his throat and took a tentative step closer. "You ran off before I could tell you..."

"Tell me what?" Iolana didn't mean to interrupt but she was so anxious, the words came tumbling out. Fred ran his fingers through his hair again, laughing nervously.

"That I... That I like you too." He said, his voice low and uncertain but still hopeful. Iolana grinned.

In a different part of the mansion, Kurt was still running. He'd just finished a morning shift at Francisco's but he still had the energy to rush home. He couldn't be late, he couldn't miss her. Kurt suddenly stopped dead in the middle of the corridor.

"Oh, right." He muttered to himself, embarrassed. He closed his eyes and envisioned his destination. Less than a moment later, Kurt arrived at the reception area. He was so flustered, he'd forgotten his mutation. It happened more often than he cared to admit.

Not wanting to waste any time, Kurt fell into the seat behind the desk and grabbed the phone. The administrative staff were all on their summer holidays too, so the only public phone in the mansion had been left unguarded. Kurt tried to turn the rotary dial, cursing under his breath when his fingers didn't fit.

Thinking fast, he scrabbled across the desk looking for a pen and found one in the unlocked drawer. He jabbed the pen into the rotary and dialled the number he now knew by heart. Kurt waited breathlessly as the phone rang, a little softer than usual because of the distance. He hoped the Professor was too busy to check his phone bill. At last, there was a blunt click and someone said,

"Murphy residence, how may I direct your call?" The voice was small and sweet and much younger than he'd expected. Kurt hadn't considered the possibility that someone other than Peggy might answer the phone. He was so surprised, it took him a moment to get his words straight.

"Uh, hi. Can I-"

"Cathy!" There was a loud rustling sound as the phone was passed between hands and then a new voice, older, masculine and slightly annoyed, spoke. "Get off the phone, you know you're not supposed to answer it." The rustling stopped and the voice said, "Hello?" Kurt tried again with a little more confidence.

"Hello," he said politely. "Can I please speak to Peggy?" The boy on the other end of the line sighed then asked him to wait a moment.

"Peggy!" He bellowed so loud that Kurt had to move the phone away from his ear. "There's a boy on the phone for you!" Though the connection was a little frazzled, Kurt could just about hear someone else's voice in the background, loud and outraged.

"A what?" Then he heard a series of thuds, the sound of Peggy hurrying down the stairs before her father answered the phone. She shoved her brother out of the way, annoyed at him for alerting the whole house.

"Shut up, Michael. Go watch the telly." The phone switched hands again accompanied by some muffled swearing. Then at last, Kurt heard the one voice he was looking for. "Hello?"

"Peggy?" He would know her voice anywhere but the past few seconds had made him nervous and Kurt wanted to be sure he was talking to his girlfriend. Thankfully, Peggy had managed to get to the phone before anyone else in her family could have a turn.

"Kurt, hi!"

"Oi, keep it down!" She heard her sister yell from the living. Peggy scoffed and apologised to Kurt.

"Hang on." She pressed the receiver to her chest to block out most of the noise then called out to her family. "I'm on the phone!" Peggy kicked the hallway door closed with her toe, using just the right force so that it clicked shut without a bang, otherwise her mother would be upon her in seconds. At last, she was alone. Peggy raised the phone to ear and apologised again. "Sorry, you called during Top of the Pops."

"How are you? Have I missed anything?" Peggy asked quickly. Now that the door was closed and her family were safely shut away in the living room, she had the front hallway to herself, but she didn't know how long the peace would last.

"Everything's pretty boring at the moment, don't worry." Kurt reassured her. Peggy grinned.

"You know the rule, no doing anything fun without me."

"It's impossible to have fun when you're not here."

"Good answer." It had been two weeks since they last spoke but they slipped into a natural conversation with ease. There was no awkwardness, no uncomfortable silences. They missed each other too much for that.

Kurt knew the best time to call was when Peggy's family were all occupied with other things. He had to rush home from his shift so they had time to talk before her mother's rule about not using the phone after eight o'clock set in. This was only the second time he'd called since Peggy went home but it was already going considerably smoother than last time. As if on cue, the hallway door opened and Peggy's younger sister stuck her head around it.

"Peg, hurry up. I need the phone." Peggy sighed and apologised to Kurt again before she pressed the receiver back to her chest and raised her eyebrows at her sister.

"Oh, you _need_ it, do you?" Orla sighed dramatically but didn't move from her position so it looked like a floating head was annoyed with her.

"Tina's calling, we're gonna watch TOTP together." She gave her a look as if to say 'why don't you get how important this is?' but Peggy wasn't convinced.

"If you want to watch it together, go to her house." Kurt had heard a lot about Peggy's moody thirteen year old sister and knew this might take a while so he leaned back in his borrowed chair and got his breath back. "Oi, don't get stroppy with me, you little-"

"Margaret!" Peggy flinched when she heard her mother call her full name but she would not be beaten.

"Shout at her, not me!" Her sister whinged for a bit longer then finally gave in and went back into the living room. Peggy sighed and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment and enjoying the quiet. "Sorry." She tried to keep her voice down so that her parents couldn't listen in. "That was Orla. My house is a bit... Mad."

Kurt didn't mind at all, it was actually quite nice to listen to Peggy's family interact with each other. He'd always secretly wondered what it might be like to have a big family, now he knew that all he'd missed out on was a lot of headaches.

"It's good to hear your voice." Kurt glanced at the open doorway just in case there was someone coming. They were allowed to use the phone but he'd be embarrassed if anyone overheard them. "Your accent is stronger." Peggy chuckled as she slid down the wall to sit down, pulling her knees up to her chest and propping up her arm holding the phone.

"Bet you can barely understand me now." He could picture Peggy's smirk, see the glint in her bright eyes.

"Unintelligible." Kurt agreed.

"Again, you know that but not 'cat'?"

"I can't know every word, Peggy."

"They're cognates!"

"You're a cognate."

"Peggy!" They both flinched at the sudden loud shout. "Who on earth are you on the phone to at this time of night and why do you think it's okay to yell in this house?" Peggy removed the receiver from her ear yet again to call back to her mother.

"It's a friend from school, ma!"

"A friend?" Kurt repeated. Peggy scowled at the phone. She knew he was teasing her but she supposed there was no getting out of it. She was going to have to let her parents speak to Kurt eventually, no matter how mortifying it would be. Peggy's parents lived to embarrass her and she knew Kurt would make fun of her for weeks. With no small amount of trepidation, she raised the phone to her ear again.

"On your head be it." When she heard Kurt laugh, Peggy sighed and called out to her mother. "It's Kurt!" To her great surprise, she heard footsteps coming her way. Peggy scrambled to her feet when her mother suddenly came out into the hallway, a washing basket propped up on her hip and a mischievous smile on her face. Peggy knew that look only too well. Kurt could only wait patiently again as he listened to a muffled conversation happening three thousand miles away. "No, ma, please don't, you'll embarrass me."

"Who's embarrassing?"

"Ma, please, n-"

"Margaret Mary Murphy, you give me that phone right now." More rustling and then a different voice. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Murphy." Kurt hadn't expected to speak to Peggy's mother quite so soon but he was pleased to finally meet her. Of course, Peggy had told her parents all about Kurt, though she'd left out some of the scarier details.

She'd told them all about him and how they met, Peggy simply failed to mention the parts where she got shot saving Kurt's life and he was stabbed by a terrorist. Her parents did not need to know about the X-Men, letting them embarrass her in front of her boyfriend was a small price to pay.

"Please call me Jill, sweetheart. We've heard so much about you."

"Oh, my God, ma." Kurt could hear Peggy groan in the background but her mother was talking again before she could protest further.

"Peggy talks about you all the time." Another embarrassed groan from Peggy and Kurt had to stifle a laugh. "When are you coming to visit, darling?"

"He's not visiting us, ma." Peggy cut in before he could reply. Her mother tutted irritably.

"Margaret, I'm on the phone."

"I'd love to, Mrs. Murphy." Kurt said quickly before Peggy could make up an excuse. Jill gushed about how excited she was to talk to him at last and how he must come stay with them for Christmas. Kurt let her talk at him for nearly twenty minutes before Peggy finally convinced her mother to give back the phone. When she was gone, Peggy let out a whoosh of air and banged her head against the wall.

"That was awful." She muttered, still cringing from her mother's onslaught of questions but relieved it was all over. Kurt laughed at her weary tone, wishing he could see the look on her face.

"Your middle name is Mary?" He grinned, rolling her full name around in his head, enjoying the alliteration. Peggy slid down to the floor again, her cheeks still prickling with embarrassment.

"Shut up."

"Your family sound brilliant, schön."

"You don't live with them." Peggy grumbled. Then she thought about how Kurt had grown up without much of a family and reconsidered her answer, not wanting to sound ungrateful. "They're alright." When Kurt hummed thoughtfully in reply, Peggy quickly changed the subject, wanting desperately to forget the ordeal she'd just been through. "D'you know what today is?"

"Thursday?" Kurt glanced at the small calendar on the desk, just to make sure his dates were correct.

"And d'you know what that means?" When Kurt said he didn't, Peggy grinned. "It's only two weeks until I'm back." She heard Kurt laugh and smiled to herself.

She missed him more than anything. She was having fun with her family and Peggy wasn't the kind of person to mope about because she was away from her boyfriend. They were close, they weren't attached at the hip. But sitting there alone in the hall, listening to Kurt's soft voice and the familiar, warm sound of his laugh, it made Peggy's heart ache just a little.

"I'm counting the minutes." Kurt said, making Peggy chuckle.

"That's what I like to hear." She glanced at the door again to make sure no one was pressed up against it eavesdropping. "I can't wait to see you all again. I can't wait to go to the mall and sit under our tree and just hang out." Kurt hummed again, a low sound that resonated through the speaker right into her chest. Peggy watched the door carefully. "I can't wait to kiss you again." Kurt groaned.

"Please tell me your mother didn't hear that." He said, fearing his invitation to visit might be revoked if she had. Peggy smiled, feeling very proud of herself for getting him flustered from all the way across the Atlantic.

"It's just you and me." He breathed a slight sigh of relief but then found himself breathless when she unexpectedly continued. "So I can tell you about some of the other things I can't wait to do to you." Kurt allowed his mind to wander for a moment before he shook his head, trying to focus on the present.

"You're mad, Peggy." He said in a low voice, letting her know he'd thought about her proposal. Then in a lighter, more mischievous tone, "Margaret Mary Murphy." Kurt heard her make a funny noise on the other end of the line, like she was surprised and annoyed at the same time.

"That's it. I changed my mind, I'm not coming back." She said, though she couldn't help laughing. There was a pause then, it wasn't awkward but comfortable. They sat and listened to each other, chests glowing with happiness. After a moment, Kurt heard Peggy whisper, "Hey, I love you, gorgeous." He closed his eyes and repeated her words over and over in his head. Kurt still couldn't quite believe how lucky he was.

"I love you too." He whispered back. Peggy beamed, only just stopping herself from laughing by biting her lip.

"Brilliant. Love hearing that." She shifted around on the floor to get into a better position. Hopefully, she was going to be there a while, she wanted to be comfortable.

"So who's on Top of the Pops?" Kurt asked, curious to hear what music was popular in the UK at the moment. Peggy listened intently to the television blaring in the next room. It took her a few moments but at last, she managed to identify the music.

"Depeche Mode." She said, wrinkling her nose. She wasn't a fan. Of course, Kurt was quick to defend them.

"I like them."

"You like everything."

* * *

 _One month later_

"This is the stupidest idea ever." Peggy muttered, wincing as Scott locked the handcuff around her wrist a little too tight. He grunted, his forehead creased in concentration.

"Hey, you volunteered." He guided one of Peggy's hands around the side of the pipe above her head, then raised her other hand so that they lined up. Her face fell.

"I most certainly did not." But it was too late. Scott clicked the handcuff around her other wrist so that she was stuck with her hands above her head.

"No, you're right," Scott said, shooting her a grin. "But Jubilee and Jean already said no and Ororo threatened me when I asked her."

"So this was your idea?" Before Scott could come up with an excuse, the little radios in the sleeves of their suits crackled. It was Hank, warning them both that their target was on the move.

The X-Men were just under the skin of New York City. Peggy had been very excited when the Professor told them their mission was to bring in a mutant who'd been terrorising the downtown area. She'd always wanted to visit New York City, though its sewers had certainly not been on her list of things to see.

The mutant they were after had reptilian features and was more comfortable down in the murky depths of the pipe systems. The Professor would've gladly let him stay there if he hadn't been using his mutation to slip unseen into people's houses. It wasn't exactly the worst of crimes but he was still their responsibility.

Ororo, Jean, Kurt, and Jubilee were all off in different parts of the sewer, lying in wait. Despite his better judgement, Hank had put Scott in charge, even allowing him to come up with a plan unsupervised. Scott was very excited about this, now Peggy knew why. She was the bait.

Their target had proved to be very slippery, it had taken them most of the day to track him down. His mutation even allowed him to camouflage a little, so they were all starting to get a little annoyed with him. Hopefully, the thief would see Peggy trapped and try to help her, then the others could swoop in and grab him before he could get away again.

Scott was the only one with the keys to her handcuffs but he promised to give them to someone more responsible after Peggy began to panic. He double-checked that she was comfortable (which she wasn't) then grinned and hurried away down another tunnel.

Peggy sighed deeply, then instantly regretted it when she got a lungful of sewer air. She gritted her teeth and tried not to think about it. The thief wasn't going to help her if she was too busy throwing up.

A few minutes passed in relative silence. Somewhere water dribbled down from a leaking pipe, beating a steady rhythm against the already damp ground. A rat sat washing its face at the other end of the tunnel but Peggy wasn't afraid. Light filtered in through a grate above her head, reminding her that she was only a few meters away from the world above.

Her arms started to feel numb after a while but she refrained from moving around too much, not wanting to give away her position. Then at last, her communicator fizzed and Jean's voice filled the tunnel.

"Peggy, he's coming towards you." She barely had time to think before she heard footsteps echoing behind her. Peggy twisted her body round, ignoring the pain in her wrists and craned her neck just in time to see a shadow rise against the far wall.

"Help me!" She cried, adopting the same Brooklyn accent as the thief, hoping he might take pity on her if he heard they were from the same part of town. "Help!" The shadow began to shrink down and down until at last, the small, crooked man rounded the corner. He peered at her curiously, his thick, scaly skin shining in the low light.

Peggy tried to twist herself around so that she could see him better but her arms were locked in place. "Please, help me!" She begged, trying to sound as desperate and hopeless as possible. "Those weird kids handcuffed me and I can't get out!" The man studied her for a moment then scoffed and shook his head.

"You're on your own, kid." He said, then disappeared down another tunnel. Peggy stared after him, her mouth hanging open. She wasn't sure why but she was extremely offended.

"You what?" Peggy yanked her wrists down, making the metal handcuffs clang against the pipe trapping her. "Oi!" She yelled down the tunnel after him, forgetting to use her mutation in her anger and falling back into her own voice. "Come back, you stupid bastard!"

"Peggy, what's wrong?" Kurt's worried voice buzzed at her wrist. She had to stretch her neck and push her chin against the button on her sleeve to make her radio work, only adding to her frustration.

"He bloody left me!" She twisted round again, trying to figure out which direction the thief ran in. The sewer map was safely stored in her enormous memory so it only took a few seconds for Peggy to figure out who he would eventually run into heading west. She pressed her chin against her radio again. "He's heading towards Ororo."

"Okay, Plan B." Scott said, his voice wavering with the bad connection. Peggy waited patiently but nothing came. She frowned and shook her wrist, worried she might've lost the signal. When there was still no reply, she stood on her toes and jammed her chin down on her communicator again.

"Well, one of you has to come get me." It was hard to speak clearly in her position but her friends got the message.

"Sorry, Peggy, we've got a bad guy to catch." She could practically hear the smug grin in Scott's voice. She waited for him to apologise and tell her that he was only joking but it never came. Peggy stared at her wrist in disbelief. Barely holding onto her last scrap of patience, she reached up and spoke into her communicator again.

"Are you having a laugh?" She waited but silence filled the tunnel. "Scott? Anyone?" Peggy realised she could no longer hear any static, that meant either her radio really had stopped working or her so-called friends were out of range. The built-in communicators were only a prototype. Peggy would have a few small critiques for Hank when and if she got back to the surface.

She sighed and sank to her feet. Her arms were beginning to grow numb and her neck hurt from the strain. Peggy glumly looked around at her meagre surroundings. "Brilliant." She muttered.

Thankfully, it was only a few minutes before her radio suddenly crackled to life again. That meant one of her friends was close. Peggy was just about to try and speak to whoever it was when she heard someone running down a nearby tunnel, coming her way fast.

She twisted around to look over her shoulder just in case they came out behind her but there was no one there. Then she heard someone call her name. Peggy turned to see Kurt at the end of the tunnel. He looked a little panicked but otherwise unharmed. "Well, if it isn't my knight in shining armour." Peggy laughed as he ran up to meet her.

"Peggy, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Kurt placed his hands on her cheeks, leaning in close so that he could inspect her for any cuts or bruises she might've miraculously obtained in the few minutes she was alone. Peggy gently pulled her face from his grasp, touched by his concern but more interested in getting out the handcuffs.

"I'm fine. Even better now that you're here." She grinned at him and Kurt gave her a proud little smile in return. Peggy looked up at her restraints and rattled them to show she was still very much stuck. "Get me out these, will you?" To her delight, Kurt dug around in his suit and pulled out the key. Scott had kept his promise and gave them to someone more responsible, just as Peggy asked.

"This was a bad plan." Kurt said as he reached up and carefully took her hand in his. He didn't want to hurt her, so he tried to move the handcuffs as little as possible as he tried to get her out.

"Definitely. You got him?"

"We got him.

"Nice one." As she waited patiently for him to free her, Peggy found Kurt had to stand very close in order to reach the handcuffs. He still kept some space between them though, ever the gentleman. Peggy moved her hands back an inch, making Kurt look down at her. She smiled up at him and Kurt licked his lips, trying to meet her eyes and not stare at her mouth.

After a moment, he managed to tear his gaze away and return his attention to her handcuffs but Peggy was having far too much fun. She slid her hands further away from him and Kurt had to lean his body against hers to reach them. "You like 'em?" Peggy asked, nodding to her restraints. Kurt took one look at the mischievous expression on her face and wearily shook his head.

"Peggy, this is not the time." He tried to protest but he wasn't fooling anyone. Peggy shrugged as best as she could in her position then leaned forward to leave a chaste kiss underneath his chin.

"It could be." She murmured against his skin, pressing another kiss at the curve of his jaw. Kurt hummed, a noise that both warned her not to continue and let Peggy know he was desperately trying not to enjoy it and failing. She ignored him and continued to kiss along his jaw, all the way down to the hollow of his neck.

"Jubilee will be here any second." Kurt's feeble attempt at getting her to stop would've sounded a lot more convincing if his voice hadn't hitched with a slight moan halfway through.

"Then we better make good use of the time we have." Peggy slid her hands forward along the pipe so that she could move closer and press her body against his. Kurt chuckled, finding her forwardness amusing but persuasively sexy.

"You're ridiculous." As he shook his head, Peggy leaned back a little so she could meet his gaze, still smiling wickedly. Kurt tried not to let his gaze wander, he truly did, but his hands had a mind of their own. They slipped around her waist, keeping her close. "I do see the appeal." He admitted. The moment he let one hand slide up her waist, Peggy leaned forward to kiss him properly. She had barely brushed his lips with hers when they heard someone say,

"Really, guys?" Kurt immediately took a step backwards, turning around to face Jubilee in one fluid movement. She stood with her hands on her hips, eyebrows raised, unimpressed by what she'd found.

"Nothing happened." Kurt said quickly. Behind him, Peggy sighed deeply.

"Not through lack of trying, though."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jubilee raised her hands and Kurt threw her the key. She was several inches shorter than Peggy but she managed to reach up and finally undo her handcuffs.

Peggy hissed when her muscles burned. Though she had certainly been looking forward to kissing Kurt, her arms were almost numb and she was glad to be free at last. Jubilee swung the handcuffs around her index finger as she watched Peggy stretch out her aching limbs. "You sure you don't wanna keep these for later?"

"Jubilee, please." Peggy scoffed and gave her a look, though as she walked past, she winked at Kurt. He began to roll his eyes but stopped when Jubilee looked his way.

When they met up with the rest of the team, Peggy immediately gave Scott an earful about leaving her but he seemed unbothered. In fact, he seemed to find the whole thing quite funny and Kurt had to tactfully change the subject before an argument sparked. He proposed they should get out of the horrid sewers. There was enthusiastic, unanimous agreement.

They headed back up to the surface and found Hank sat safely in the jet, his feet up on the dash, reading a science magazine. He took one look at them all, sweaty and dirty from their mission, and grimaced.

"Yeah, thanks, Hank." Jean muttered, already beginning to peel off the heaviest sections of her armour. They shuffled onto the jet, tired and filthy, but happy.

"So, I was thinking," Kurt spoke softly to Peggy as they all began to pack away what they could of their suits. "Movies tonight?"

"Sure!" Peggy grinned as she sat down in the closest seat. Her suit was very simple compared to the others', there was no external armour to remove. It meant it was quick to get in and out of but Hank hadn't been able to create a material that both allowed Peggy to vanish completely and was strong enough to protect her.

Kurt wasn't much pleased with this but didn't say anything, he knew Peggy hated to be mollycoddled. Still, he wished Hank would find something suitable soon, it wasn't doing his nerves any favours. "What did you have in mind?"

"I like the look of The Terminator." Kurt finished putting away the last of his bulky armour, leaving him in just the basic under-suit. He flopped down into the seat beside Peggy, his head immediately falling to rest against his harness so that their faces were close. "Or we could rent Ghostbusters?" Peggy considered her aching limbs and the late hour.

"A night-in sounds fantastic." She said, reaching over and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. Across the jet, Ororo and Scott made disgusted noises but they ignored them.

* * *

Later, freshly showered and much more comfortable, Peggy woke from her nap when she heard someone knock on her bedroom door. She grumbled to herself as she slid out from underneath the covers, trying to ignore how her arms still ached. She opened the door to find Kurt standing there. He'd thankfully had a shower too, just the thought of the sewer smell made Peggy grimace.

He held a VHS tape between two hands. The box displayed the logo of the video store he'd just visited but the title 'Ghostbusters' was printed on the spine in thick black letters.

"You ready?" Kurt asked as he hurried into her room, immediately hunching down in front of the video player. He hadn't seen the film but he'd heard good things and he very excited. Peggy chuckled at his enthusiasm as she flopped down onto her bed.

She'd borrowed the video player from a kid in her Geography class. In return, she gave him the answers to a history test he had next week that she'd already taken. Peggy knew it was slightly immoral but it wasn't exactly murder and anyway, she cared more about the VCR than she did about cheating.

Kurt finished sorting out the film then bounded over to the bed to help Peggy set up. They placed as many pillows and cushions as they could find against the wall so that they had something comfortable to lean against then pulled the duvet across them.

As the opening credits rolled, Peggy drew her knees up and leaned her head against Kurt's shoulder, making him blush despite the fact that they'd been dating for three months. They didn't talk much, they were both far too engrossed in the film. Whenever Kurt got scared, he'd rest his hand over hers and squeeze gently, making Peggy smile. At one point, his tail slipped around her waist, keeping her close.

As much as Kurt was enjoying the movie, there was something nagging in the back of his mind. School started up again on Monday, just three days away. They were constantly being reminded that this was their final year before they either moved on or stayed at the school, learning how to become teachers or just being a part of the X-Men. Kurt knew what he wanted but everything was going to change very soon and the thought made his stomach churn. And then there was Peggy.

He couldn't possibly be any happier than he was right now, curled up beside her in the dark, her hand in his, but that could all change too. Kurt realised he wasn't watching the film properly but he couldn't shake that uneasy feeling. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the side of Peggy's head, listening for her little hum in response. He kept his mouth there, closing his eyes for a moment, then whispered into her hair.

"Peggy?" He heard her hum quietly again. The tips of her fingers curled inwards just a little, letting him know she was listening, but he doubted he had her full attention. "Do you remember when we talked about what we would do after we graduate?"

"Yeah, why?" Peggy raised her head to meet his gaze. She frowned when she saw his troubled expression. Kurt found it hard to keep himself from fidgeting as he tried to find the right words. Peggy watched him look between his lap, the television, and her hand on his chest before he spoke.

"It's September, soon it will be July again." Kurt said at last, his forehead creased with worry. "We haven't got long to decide." Peggy sat up a little more so that she could face him properly, the film a distant thought now.

"Is that what you've been so worried about?" She asked softly. Kurt finally met her eyes again, his expression still drawn.

"I didn't say I was worried." Peggy smiled.

"You didn't have to." Kurt held her gaze, wondering when he had got so lucky. Then he looked away again, his fingers anxiously pulling at the edge of the duvet.

"I will stay here at the school. I am a part of the X-Men, I have my job at Francisco's and in a few years, I will teach." Kurt's brow furrowed as he tried to find the right words, struggling against the tightness in his throat. "What I'm worried about is…"

"Me." Peggy's whisper made him look up again. She was smiling slightly. Nothing ever got past her. Kurt tried his best to return her smile but it came out all wobbly.

"I don't want…" He sighed, finding it difficult to explain himself. He sat up a bit straighter. "You have a family. I don't want you to be separated." To his surprise, Peggy got up and went to pause the film. This was a serious conversation and she'd never seen Kurt look so worried, he deserved her full attention. When Peggy returned to the bed, she took his hand in hers and kissed his palm.

"Neither do I." Peggy missed her family every day, despite how annoying they were. Then she raised her eyebrows, shrugging slightly. "But you know, I can't stay there forever. Eventually, I would move out, maybe go to University, find a job." When Kurt nodded, Peggy began to smile. "But I'll be honest, Kurt, that all sounds a bit boring to me."

He stared at her, his scarlet eyes filled with uncertainty and surprise. Kurt looked like he almost didn't believe her, which Peggy found quite heart-breaking underneath her amusement. Kurt's mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to collect his thoughts.

"You mean..."

"You are absolutely, completely, and unreservedly stuck with me." Peggy finished for him, leaning forward and kissing him quickly between each new adverb. Kurt still looked quite stunned. He began to smile but it faded fast.

"I didn't know…" The words got lost in his throat, choking him. Kurt's brow furrowed again as his gaze fell to the duvet. "I mean, I wasn't sure that you…" Despite all they'd been through, all that they'd said to each other, there was a small part of him, tiny yet powerful, that couldn't understand what Peggy saw in him.

She was beautiful, intelligent, brave, and underneath his show of bravado, Kurt was still very self-conscious, not only of how he looked but of who he was, where he'd come from. It wasn't a thought he often entertained but sometimes that worm of doubt wondered if he was really good enough for Peggy.

She was willing to leave her family and her home to stay in New York, to stay with him. Kurt knew what it felt like to start again somewhere new, he knew how hard it could be. He couldn't believe Peggy thought he was worth it. Kurt didn't say any of this out loud, he didn't have to. Peggy could read him like a book. She squeezed his hand, letting her thumb slowly smooth across the skin at his wrist.

"Kurt, you know I'm mad for you." She whispered, managing to get him to look up at her again. It wasn't often Peggy spoke about her feelings. It felt unnatural to her, even embarrassing, but Kurt looked so upset, she thought she should open up just this once. "I'd give you the shirt off my back." Kurt's expression shifted. His gaze dropped again and he began to smile, properly this time.

"What? Like, right now?" He tucked his fingers under the hem of her T-shirt, brushing his thumb along the bottom of her spine. Peggy scoffed but let him pull her shirt further and further up her back until she could feel him toying with her bra.

"When did you get so cheeky?" She said, half-heartedly swatting him away. Kurt laughed as he leaned back, pulling Peggy closer until she was practically on top of him. She smoothed her hand up his chest so that she could cup his cheek. "I'd be an idiot to ever say goodbye to you, Kurt." She smiled and he returned it, his chest rising and falling in time with her own.

"I love you." Kurt murmured, marvelling at how easily the words fell from his lips. They didn't say it to each other often, neither of them really went in for lovey-dovey romantics, but that didn't make the feeling any less real. Kurt brushed some of Peggy's hair behind her ear, his hand lingering close to her cheek. "I've loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you."

"Oh, yeah?" Peggy raised her eyebrows, clearly not believing him. Kurt raised his eyebrows right back, always ready to meet a challenge.

"It was raining." He spoke quietly as his mind drifted back six months. "It was raining the first time I saw you. You were walking up to the school." Peggy's cocky smile slowly faded as she realised he wasn't joking. Kurt had never mentioned anything about seeing her before they were introduced. He grinned at her surprised expression. "My heart sang at the sight of you and it hasn't stopped since." Now it was Peggy's turn to look dumbfounded. After a moment of stunned silence, she shook her head.

"Bloody hell, Kurt." She muttered before kissing him hard, her hands on either side of his face. Peggy tried to get her knees underneath her so that she could move closer but she teetered dangerously close to the edge of the bed. Luckily Kurt caught her before she fell, laughing at the panicked look on her face as he pulled her close.

"That was good, ja? Very romantic?"

"Oh, it was like poetry." Peggy rolled her eyes as she regained her balance. "How long have you been planning that one then?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course."

"Two weeks."

"You muppet."

* * *

"Scott." Jean's voice was low and grave but she was smiling. She was sat on the floor of the gym, her homework fanning out around her like a blanket of snow. She was supposed to be double-checking her English essay for any spelling mistakes but her friends were being very distracting, as per usual.

"I'm fine." Scott tried to sound confident but his voice wobbled when he did. He was sitting on one of the highest bars of the climbing apparatus. He gripped the metal bar so tight that his knuckles had turned white but he'd still managed to lose his balance.

On the highest bar, not far from him, Kurt was far more comfortable. Jean thought he looked like a leopard sleeping in a tree. He lounged across the bar, his tail coiled around it to keep his balance. Below him, Ororo had her legs hooked through one of the metal rings, her chin resting on her arms. When Scott wobbled again, she laughed at the alarmed look on his face.

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"I'm fine, Jean."

"Ororo?" At the sound of her name, Ororo sighed and unlooped her body from the metal ring.

"I've got him." She began to make her way over to Scott, navigating the climbing frame with ease.

"I'm fine, you guys!" Scott protested. He raised one hand, forgetting that he didn't quite have his balance, and immediately began to sway. He cried out and before Ororo could reach him, he fell backwards off the bar. Thankfully Scott hadn't been far off the ground but he still landed on the rubber mats with an indignant 'oof'. Jean raised her eyebrows.

"You okay, Scott?" She got a lot of swearing and grumbling in response, so she knew he was absolutely fine. The gym door opened and Peggy came hurrying over. It was the first day of school and their timetables had all swapped around, so they didn't have the same free periods that they used to. That meant Peggy had to run all the way from her Latin class on the top floor to meet her friends for lunch.

When she saw Scott lying in a heap, she didn't question it, though she did grin when she met Kurt's eyes. He greeted her with his usual zeal as he unwrapped his tail from the bar. He let himself slide lazily over the edge but caught himself again before he could get too far, hanging more than six feet off the ground and swinging gently from his tail.

"Wow, look at you, eh!" Peggy laughed as she sat down beside Jean on the mats. Jubilee would be with them soon and then they would go get some lunch, but she was tired from all the stairs and couldn't wait to sit down and get her breath back. "Did I see you at this year's Olympics?" Kurt scoffed as he swung himself forwards and back, building up enough momentum so that he could grab onto the bars.

"You just want to see me in those little shorts." Peggy shrugged.

"You said it, not me." Kurt chuckled as he span around the bar twice before landing gracefully on his feet. He wasn't very athletic but PE had quickly become one of his favourite subjects as this term, they were doing gymnastics and this was something Kurt excelled at. The door to the gym opened again but unlike Peggy, who'd made herself very comfortable, Jubilee only poked her head through.

"C'mon, you guys!" She waved excitedly, making even Scott look up from his defeated slouch on the floor. "They've got pie in the cafeteria!" They were all out of the door in moments, Jean bringing up the rear after she only just about managed to shove all her homework back into her bag.

Jubilee was right, there was pie. The cafeteria was packed with kids but they managed to battle their way to the queue with little to no mishaps. Once everyone had grabbed their lunch, their dessert, and Scott had gone back for seconds, they wandered out into the gardens. Just as they planned, Annie and Nancy met them as they were going out of the door.

Scott and Annie got together over the summer, so luckily by the time everyone was back together, they were over the excessive PDA stage of their relationship. Annie tucked her arm through Scott's by way of a greeting, slipping into the group's rowdy cake versus pie argument with ease. They all sat beneath their tree, briefly considering how little room they had now compared to just a few months ago. Their little group had certainly grown.

"I saw you and Kurt at the mall the other day. You guys are adorable." Annie said to Peggy once they had all settled. Beside her, Jubilee snorted, always entertained by people's reactions to Kurt and Peggy's relationship.

"So I've been told." She looked over at her boyfriend. He was listening intently to a story Nancy was telling. Peggy smiled to herself and returned her attention to her lunch.

"Just messing with ya." Annie chucked one of her chips over to Peggy by way of an apology which she gladly accepted. "But you are a nice fit. I see you staying together for a long time."

"Well, let's not jinx it." Peggy laughed as she passed Annie one of her own chips, just to make it a fair trade. She thought that's where the conversation might end but Annie was still grinning.

"I hear church bells." She sang. "The pitter-patter of tiny, blue feet." Peggy could feel her face starting to go red but she laughed it off, trying to act as if she wasn't embarrassed at all. She stole back one of Annie's chips, ignoring her complaints.

"Shut up, you nutter." Peggy glanced at Kurt to make sure he hadn't overheard them. Thankfully he was laughing at something Ororo was saying. Jubilee saw the expression on her face and shared a knowing smile with Annie.

"You're not gonna frighten him off." She said, taking a nonchalant sip of her drink. "He'd probably marry you today if you asked." Peggy snorted, turning back around to face her friends.

"Exactly. I don't want you giving him any ideas." She muttered, making the girls laugh.

The bell rang at last, marking the end of lunch. They all groaned on cue, already begrudging their upcoming lessons despite only having been back at school for four hours. The group gathered up their bags and empty food cartons and began to slowly make their way up the winding path to the mansion.

Kurt announced he had to rush off because he had an induction with a new student and her parents and he couldn't be late. It was usual for older students to show new arrivals around, Peggy herself had been given the tour by a girl in the year above them.

Kurt kissed her quickly on each cheek, squeezing her hand in his before he turned and hurried around to the front of the school, once again forgetting his mutation in his hurry. Peggy watched him run off with a fond smile. She and Jubilee had a free period together now, so Kurt was going to "accidentally" bump into them "studying" on his tour.

She was looking forward to an hour of peace in the common room but Peggy couldn't shake what Annie had said. She and Jubilee were at the back of their group so she thought it was safe to bring it up. Her friends were always so rowdy anyway, there was no way they'd be overheard with all their racket.

"That was nice of Annie to say that stuff." She said, choosing her words carefully. "Mad, though, don't you think? Me and Kurt getting married?"

"Well, if Annie saw it." Jubilee shrugged, clearly not as bothered by it as she was. Peggy frowned, not completely sure she understood what she meant by that.

"Saw it? Saw what?"

"She said she saw it." Jubilee repeated, beginning to get a little confused herself. Then something clicked in her head. "You don't know about her mutation?" Peggy was beyond baffled now.

"Yeah. Light manipulation, she said." Jubilee began to smile.

"Her other mutation."

"What other mutation?" They reached the school steps and Peggy put a hand on Jubilee's arm to stop her before she went inside. They waved to their friends who were all still arguing, about what they didn't know, but it was probably something ridiculous. When they were alone, Jubilee leaned back against the mansion doors.

"She's kinda... Zoltar, you know?"

"What're you on about?"

"Sometimes she sees into the future. Only glimpses, really, but Hank's pretty psyched." At last, Peggy finally began to understand. When she asked Annie about her mutation, she demonstrated her fascinating ability by making the cafeteria lights dim with just a flick of her wrist. Peggy couldn't remember her saying anything about any other powers.

She voiced her thoughts and Jubilee nodded understandingly. "Annie doesn't like to tell people. She's worried someone might force her to do it or that she'll see something she doesn't wanna see." Peggy nodded, that made sense. It was still a dangerous time to be a mutant and Annie had extraordinary power, it must be terrifying to think that- Wait. Peggy stared at Jubilee, her eyes suddenly very wide.

"Hang on… So when she said... About me and Kurt being... And that we would have..." She tried to make sense of her jumbled thoughts but they came tumbling out in one big incoherent mess. Fortunately for Peggy, Jubilee understood exactly what she was trying to ask.

She nodded slowly, a slow smile beginning to appear on her face. Peggy could feel her heart thudding against her ribs and she couldn't seem to close her gaping mouth. "Bloody hell." She whispered at last, beginning to smile too.

It was only when Kurt got to the front door of the mansion that he remembered his mutation. He swore under his breath, disappointed in himself for getting flustered again. He teleported to the front gates, right at the feet of Francisco. He greeted his boss' family with enthusiasm, shaking Francisco's hand and talking a mile a minute about how excited he was to show them around.

Then Kurt spotted the young girl hiding behind her mother, eyeing him cautiously. He'd never met Elena but he'd certainly heard a lot about her. She didn't look afraid, just nervous, which was understandable. The Xavier Institute was a formidable looking place from the outside but easy to navigate with your friends by your side. Kurt smiled at Elena and introduced himself. She still looked uneasy so he pointed at one of the many glossy badges that bloomed on her denim jacket.

"You like Queen?" Of course Francisco's daughter would love music, she'd grown up in the record shop Kurt worked in. Elena nodded, already beginning to brighten up now that the conversation had turned to something familiar. Kurt grinned and gestured for them to follow him down the gravel path back to his home. "Come with me. I know a girl with a wicked Freddie Mercury impression."

The End


End file.
